Sentenced student Nikita Zhuravel was left to serve his sentence in a pre-trial detention center in Chechnya

Sentenced to 3.5 years on charges of burning the Koran, 19-year-old Nikita Zhuravel remained to serve his sentence in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Grozny, where he was kept during the investigation and trial.

Lawyer Yulia Antonova said that a former student from Volgograd works in the maintenance department of the detention center and everything is fine with him, although she saw her client two months ago.

Earlier in court, Zhuravel said that he burned the Koran not because of certain beliefs, but for the promise of a monetary reward. This happened in May 2023 in Volgograd near the cathedral mosque. In Grozny, a student was tried for publicly insulting the feelings of believers and hooliganism. He admitted his guilt and apologized.

At the end of September 2023, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, published a video in which his 16-year-old son Adam beats Nikita Zhuravel in a pre-trial detention center. After this, Kadyrov Jr. received many state and republican awards and titles.

Последние новости
Armenian Prime Minister Does Not Rule Out International Court Over Railway Dispute with Russia
Politics
Armenian Prime Minister Does Not Rule Out International Court Over Railway Dispute with Russia
30 July 2026

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said Yerevan does not rule out taking its dispute with Russia over the management of the South Caucasus Railway to an international court if the issue cannot be resolved through negotiations. At the same time, he stressed that the Armenian authorities hope to settle the matter through talks.

Circassian Youth from Syria and Turkey Hold First Joint Meeting in Damascus Since Change of Power
Society
Circassian Youth from Syria and Turkey Hold First Joint Meeting in Damascus Since Change of Power
30 July 2026

Circassian youth from Syria and Turkey have held their first international gathering in Damascus since the change of power in the country, bringing together young members of the diaspora to strengthen cultural ties, foster dialogue, and discuss future cooperation.

Georgia Denies International Protection to 17 Ukrainians, Who Now Face Possible Deportation
Human rights
Georgia Denies International Protection to 17 Ukrainians, Who Now Face Possible Deportation
30 July 2026

Georgian authorities have denied international protection to 17 Ukrainian citizens who have spent nearly a year in the basement of the Dariali border crossing point (Upper Lars) on the Georgia–Russia border. Once the decisions take legal effect, they could be deported at any moment.

Fuel Crisis Reaches Abkhazia as Long Queues Form at Petrol Stations
Economy
Fuel Crisis Reaches Abkhazia as Long Queues Form at Petrol Stations
30 July 2026

Abkhazia is facing a sharp deterioration in its fuel supply, with long queues forming at major petrol stations in Sukhumi and other towns. Some filling stations have introduced a limit of 20 litres of petrol per vehicle. The de facto authorities acknowledge supply disruptions but insist they are temporary.