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Azerbaijan orders arrest in absentia of three Russians over alleged calls for terrorism
Society
Azerbaijan orders arrest in absentia of three Russians over alleged calls for terrorism
17 August 2026

An Azerbaijani court has ordered the arrest in absentia of three Russian citizens accused by investigators of publicly calling for terrorism, the violent overthrow of the constitutional order and violations of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, the country's Prosecutor General's Office said.

Economy
"The harvest on the trees can't wait": farmers in Armenia block highway
17 August 2026

Farmers from the villages of Khandjyan and Atsik in Armenia's Armavir region blocked the Armavir–Yerevan highway, demanding a solution to the problem of selling their peach harvest. Buyers are offering around 100 drams per kilogram—approximately 23 rubles—whereas farmers consider a price of at least 150 drams to be acceptable.

Drone attacks disrupt airports in southern Russia
News
Drone attacks disrupt airports in southern Russia
17 August 2026

A new wave of drone threats on Aug. 17 prompted restrictions at airports in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and caused major disruption to air traffic in Sochi. Russian military authorities also reported hundreds of drones intercepted during the day, including over the Rostov region and the Black Sea.

Drone attacks in southern Russia killed a woman and hit grain exports
Politics
Drone attacks in southern Russia killed a woman and hit grain exports
17 August 2026

On the night of August 17, drone attacks killed a resident of the Astrakhan Region. Governor Igor Babushkin reported that a drone struck a private home in the Yenotayevsky District. The woman inside was killed. Her teenage son was unharmed.

The President of Azerbaijan was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the Ukrainian city of Irpen
Politics
The President of Azerbaijan was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the Ukrainian city of Irpen
17 August 2026

Presenting Ilham Aliyev with the certificate of Honorary Citizen of Irpen, Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Yuriy Gusev thanked the President of Azerbaijan and the country for their support of Ukraine and assistance in the city's restoration.

Syrian Circassian Nurdin Karaf May Have Been Tortured After Refusing to Fight in Ukraine
Human rights
Syrian Circassian Nurdin Karaf May Have Been Tortured After Refusing to Fight in Ukraine
17 August 2026

According to Circassian activists, Syrian Circassian Nurdin (Najmuddin) Karaf may have been forcibly conscripted into the Russian army and died after being tortured in a mobilization camp. His family was previously informed of his death, but his body was allegedly not returned to them. The International Circassian Committee announced this on August 11.

Human rights
"They’re going to kill me": St. Petersburg lawyer of Chechen descent found with signs of strangulation
16 August 2026

Shamil Akhaev, a 44-year-old lawyer who had lost contact on August 10, has been found dead. Media outlets and online groups tracking the search reported the news on August 15. His body was discovered in a wooded area.

CSTO Secretary General Urges Armenia to Decide on Participation in the Organization Within a
Politics
CSTO Secretary General Urges Armenia to Decide on Participation in the Organization Within a "Reasonable Timeframe"
16 August 2026

It is time for Armenia to decide how it will participate in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), stated the organization's Secretary General, Taalatbek Masadykov. According to him, the issue needs to be resolved "within a reasonable timeframe."

New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
Economy
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
16 August 2026

New car sales across Russia’s North Caucasus fell by 21% in July compared with the same month last year. The sharpest decline was recorded in Dagestan, where the new-car market nearly halved over the year.

Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
Society
Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
15 August 2026

Queues remain at the Russian-Georgian border following temporary restrictions on traffic through the Verkhny Lars crossing. The situation has drawn additional attention amid rumours circulating in Russia about a possible new mobilisation, recalling the autumn of 2022, when large numbers of men eligible for military service left the country through the crossing. There is no official evidence linking the current restrictions to any mobilisation measures.