The Kremlin said on Wednesday it had no information about a reported meeting between former senior German and Russian officials that Western media said may have taken place in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku.

Timur Kishukov, a native of Kabardino-Balkaria who received US citizenship in 2017, has been in pretrial detention for over a year and a half. His case is currently being heard by the Southern District Military Court. Investigators believe that 38-year-old Kishukov was planning a terrorist attack, participated in an illegal armed group, and underwent terrorist training. If found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

State Duma Deputy Alexander Tolmachev sharply criticized Azerbaijan's plans to develop a strategic dialogue with Germany, effectively calling into question Baku's right to an independent foreign policy course. The reason for this was President Ilham Aliyev's announcement of plans to take relations with Berlin to a new level.

While Armenia's attention is focused on the work of the new parliament and disputes over parliamentary mandates, processes are unfolding outside the country that could have a far greater impact on its future. Turkologist Varuzhan Geghamyan has drawn attention to this.