Almost all banks in Armenia have canceled the operation of Russian Mir cards

Starting March 30, Armenian commercial banks will stop servicing cards of the Russian Mir payment system. An exception will be made for cards issued by the Armenian branch of Russian state-owned VTB Bank: users will be able to withdraw cash and make purchases.

The reason for the work stoppage was the introduction of US sanctions against NSPK, the operator of the Russian payment system. The Union of Banks of Armenia explained the decision with the risks of secondary sanctions.

Earlier, Armenia announced its desire to become a candidate for membership in the European Union. In addition, Yerevan froze its participation in the pro-Russian military-political bloc CSTO.

Последние новости
Georgia and Armenia will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup
Sport
Georgia and Armenia will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup
29 April 2026

Georgia and Armenia will host the 2029 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The national football associations of both countries confirmed this information, which was received at the FIFA Council in Vancouver on April 28.
Azerbaijani human rights activists condemned Karimli's ongoing arrest
Human rights
Azerbaijani human rights activists condemned Karimli's ongoing arrest
29 April 2026

The Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Ali Karimli expressed strong protest on the occasion of the 61st birthday of the leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), which the politician is celebrating in the pretrial detention facility of the State Security Service. The human rights activists accused the authorities of exerting pressure on Karimli for years, including the revocation of his passport and periodic arrests.
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament declared that joining the EU following the Ukrainian or Moldovan model is unacceptable
Politics
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament declared that joining the EU following the Ukrainian or Moldovan model is unacceptable
29 April 2026

Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, stated that Georgia's territorial integrity is inviolable and will not be subject to negotiation for EU membership. He criticized the "Ukrainian and Moldovan-style" approaches to European integration, calling them alien to Georgia.
NIYSO: Three young men kidnapped in Chechnya and forced to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense
Human rights
NIYSO: Three young men kidnapped in Chechnya and forced to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense
29 April 2026

The Chechen opposition movement NIYSO announced the arrest and subsequent deployment to Ukraine of three young men from the village of Tangi-chu in the Urus-Martan district of the Chechen Republic. Fellow villagers reportedly asked for prayers for them.