Human rights activists: Moscow is spying on Russian emigrants in Armenia

Suspicious people in Russian uniforms are on duty near the houses of emigrants from the Russian Federation living in Armenia, as well as at public events. They often ask neighbors and others about the objects they are observing. Artur Sakunts from the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly spoke about this.

According to the Assembly, Russian law enforcement agencies or intelligence services are conducting illegal intelligence activities without permission from Yerevan. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor's Office of Armenia reported that they would conduct an appropriate investigation.
 
At the end of 2023, mobilized Dmitry Setrakov, who left Russia for Armenia and did not want to fight in Ukraine, was deported back. He was detained in the city of Gyumri by the Russian military police and held at a Russian military base.

Journalist Ian Shenkman, who left Russia for Armenia, said that surveillance of Russians lasts for at least two years, including at anti-war rallies.

Последние новости
Two Ingush natives were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for complicity in the murder of a Russian general
Society
Two Ingush natives were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for complicity in the murder of a Russian general
22 January 2026

The Second Western District Military Court sentenced Ingush natives Ramazan Padiyev and Batukhan Tochiyev to 18 and 22 years in a maximum-security penal colony. According to Kommersant, they were found guilty of complicity in the terrorist attack that resulted in the deaths of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense (RCBD) forces, and his adjutant, Ilya Polikarpov.

Finnish President:
Politics
Finnish President: "Putin's policies in the South Caucasus and other regions of the world have not brought him success."
22 January 2026

During the Ukrainian Breakfast at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that Russia's attempts to project its power globally have not been successful, citing the situation in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela as examples.

A Crimean Tatar political prisoner has reported critical health
Human rights
A Crimean Tatar political prisoner has reported critical health
22 January 2026

Tofik Abdulgaziyev, a Crimean Tatar convicted of participating in Hizb ut-Tahrir, is in critical condition, according to his wife, Aliye Kurtametova. Recent reports indicate a sharp deterioration in his health: on January 20, he complained of severe dizziness, nosebleeds, and elevated blood sugar levels. He had previously also reported a loss of coordination.

Chechnya has the lowest number of corruption crimes
Society
Chechnya has the lowest number of corruption crimes
22 January 2026

A study by the Center for Political Information found that Dagestan is among the regions with the highest number of civil servants dismissed "for loss of confidence" since 2022 (69). At the same time, Chechnya has one of the lowest rates in the country, with only two dismissals.