In Azerbaijan, the court rejected the defense's motions in the case of Ruben Vardanyan

At the hearing of the Baku Military Court on the case of former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan, he and his lawyer again protested against the composition of the panel of judges.

According to the lawyer, the protocol of the hearing does not reflect the court's attitude to the motions of the defense. In this regard, the lawyer and the former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh demanded that they recuse themselves. The court left their protest without consideration. Ruben Vardanyan's American lawyer Jared Genser previously spoke in the US Congress and called on the presidential administration to put pressure on Baku.

Former Russian citizen, major businessman, billionaire Vardanyan was detained by Azerbaijani security forces on September 27, 2023, while trying to leave Nagorno-Karabakh for Armenia. He is being tried for mercenarism, financing terrorism, attempting to seize power, as well as other criminal charges. The Karabakh leader may face life imprisonment. He went on hunger strike twice in the pretrial detention center. Other high-ranking officials of Nagorno-Karabakh are also in the dock.

Последние новости
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
Economy
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
15 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.

Less than a third of flood victims in Dagestan have received compensation
Society
Less than a third of flood victims in Dagestan have received compensation
15 August 2026

In Dagestan, 82,000 people have received compensation following the devastating spring floods — less than 30% of the residents who applied for assistance. In neighbouring Chechnya, authorities have reported paying out 726 million roubles to those affected.

Georgian opposition insists Russia orchestrated fuel supplies to Abkhazia
Politics
Georgian opposition insists Russia orchestrated fuel supplies to Abkhazia
15 August 2026

Fuel shipments from the Tbilisi-controlled part of Georgia to Abkhazia have sparked a new political conflict in the country. The opposition believes that Moscow and the ruling "Georgian Dream" party are behind the gasoline shipment. Authorities, however, insist that the fuel was supplied by private business and that the trade itself does not violate Georgian law.