Abkhazia
Russia stops issuing ID cards in Abkhazia following complaints
The practice of issuing Russian ID cards in Abkhazia began only in 2025.
OC Media
Open Caucasus Media brings you news, commentary, multimedia, and podcasts from the North and South Caucasus.
Daily Brief
Friday, 6 February 2026
Armenia * During his meeting with Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov harshly criticised Armenian and EU allegations that Russia was preparing ‘imaginary attacks’ on Armenia and accusations that the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) posed ‘an existential threat’ to Armenia. In turn, Simonyan assured Lavrov that ‘Armenia is interested in its ties with Russia’ and also voiced concerns about ‘the rhetoric that is frequently
Georgia
Kobakhidze floats criminalising refusal to recognise government legitimacy
There are few details about what the proposed law would look like in practice.
Daily Brief
Thursday, 5 February 2026
Armenia * A team from the US engineering consulting firm AECOM has visited Armenia ‘to initiate work on a survey of the TRIPP site’, the US Embassy in Armenia announced on Thursday. The Embassy further noted that the team ‘will provide technical assessments and recommendations for rail and other infrastructure development’. * Armenian authorities have announced that the proposed text of the new Armenian Constitution will be made public in March. * Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan
Daily Brief
Wednesday, 4 February 2026
Regional * Armenian authorities have named the suspects in the murder of Chechen woman Aishat Baimuradova, who was found dead in Yerevan in October 2025. The suspects are Russian citizens Karina Iminova and Said-Khamzat Baisarov, who acted on the instructions of ‘a person not yet identified’. Their names had previously been mentioned by human rights defenders. * Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev met this morning in Abu Dhabi. The details of the meet
Abkhazia
Abkhazia launches investigation after alleged police assault at traffic stop
One of the officers involved has already been suspended.
