US Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan signals two important changes: the diminishing significance of Moscow's declared spheres of influence and the weakening of Russia's position in the South Caucasus, writes the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). The center emphasizes that, despite the Trump administration's desire to improve relations with Russia, the United States is confirming its intention to play an active role in the region, which the Kremlin considers its "near abroad."

In Moscow, activists have installed a new plaque on Anna Politkovskaya's home for the eleventh time, commemorating the destruction of a memorial plaque in her honor. The plaque reads: "Here in 2026, neo-Nazis destroyed a memorial plaque to Anna Politkovskaya."

Uzbek citizen Zhavokhir Utkirov was sentenced to 20 years in a maximum-security penal colony for plotting an attack on the Stavropol Krai government building. The ruling was handed down by the Southern District Military Court.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with North Ossetia Head Sergei Menyailo in the Kremlin. The main topic of discussion was the republic's socioeconomic progress.