Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan openly stated his desire to prevent the pro-Russian opposition party "Strong Armenia" and the "Armenia" bloc from entering parliament in the 2026 elections. He accused the opposition members of simulating work and coming to parliament only to collect salaries. These remarks came amid the arrests of representatives of "Strong Armenia" on charges of vote-buying.
The regions of the North Caucasus were named outsiders in the rating of material well-being of the population, published by RIA Novosti. The worst situation is in Ingushetia, which occupies the last, 85th place. Karachay-Cherkessia is in 83rd place.
Chechnya took 81st place, Kabardino-Balkaria - 78th, Dagestan - 77th, Stavropol Krai - 76th, North Ossetia - 75th. Among the laggards were also Kalmykia, Crimea, Stavropol, Altai, Tuva.
The leaders of the well-being rating were Magadan Oblast, Yamalo-Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous Okrugs.
The rating was compiled taking into account the ratio of median income to the cost of a fixed set of consumer goods and services, the average monthly volume of bank deposits per capita, the share of the population with incomes below the poverty line, the share of families who could buy an apartment with a mortgage, and the share of the population with incomes over 60 thousand rubles per month.