On the night of August 12–13, residents of Chechnya will be able to witness the peak of the Perseid meteor shower—one of the year's most famous celestial displays. Viewing conditions are particularly favorable this year: the peak coincides with the new moon, meaning bright moonlight won't interfere with spotting the meteors.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has reported on four Crimean Tatar women facing prosecution by Russian security forces in occupied Crimea in connection with the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. The women are Esma Nimetullayeva, Nasiba Saidova, Elviza Aliyeva, and Fevziye Osmanova. This was reported by the media outlet ZMINA.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, a Georgian minister, stated that the 2008 Russo-Georgian war began on August 8, not August 7. According to him, it was on the 8th that regular Russian troops invaded Georgia. Previously, representatives of the Georgian authorities had placed the blame for the start of the war not on Russia, but on the government of then-President Mikheil Saakashvili—which they term a "criminal regime."

Azerbaijan has largely completed construction of the road and rail infrastructure that is expected to connect with the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) in Armenia, according to a joint statement by the United States, Azerbaijan and Armenia issued to mark the anniversary of their trilateral summit in Washington.