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.
Armenia is trying to sit on two chairs and is taking steps that ignore the interests of Russia. This was stated by the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Zakharova.
“Apparently, Yerevan forgot that their welfare was largely based on the bonuses they received from cooperation with the Russian Federation and membership in the EAEU. The West's plans in Ukraine failed, and it grabbed Armenia with a beastly grip in order to tear it away from Russia. It is not Armenia that is showing a desire to make a U-turn; it is being imposed on it through political instruments and people who defend interests alien to the Armenian people,” Zakharova said. According to her, Moscow has no official information about Yerevan’s intention to leave the CSTO, while there is a tendency for manipulation - linking the CSTO issue with the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
The day before, Yerevan and Brussels discussed the possibility of expanding the European observer mission in Armenia and the supply of non-lethal weapons. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously expressed disagreement with the policies of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, but has not yet made a decision to leave its membership. At the same time, he emphasized that the country is interested in finding new partners who can sell weapons and ammunition.