Azerbaijan
Two exiled Azerbaijani critics convicted in absentia
The two were convicted of making calls for mass riots in Azerbaijan.
News Stories
Yesterday, 19 February 2026
Yesterday, 19 February 2026
OC Insider
How the Aliyevs are getting a taste of their own bitter medicine
The Aliyev regime’s weaponisation of women’s bodies is now being used against them.
Chechnya
Chechnya says it provided $560 million for full-scale invasion of Ukraine
The origin of the funds is unknown.
Azerbaijan
Queer Azerbaijani says husband remains in ICE detention although both have agreed to leave US
Samir Gadirov, a legal resident of the US, said his husband Tural Atakishiyev has been in ICE custody for more than a month.
Daghestan
Daghestani man sentenced for murder of university rector
Investigators suspect that the murder was a hit ordered by former MP Magomed Gadzhiev.
Armenia–Russia Relations
Russia warns Armenia not to make ‘ill-considered decisions' regarding railway takeover
Pashinyan had proposed a third-country takeover of Armenian railways from Russia as a solution to Armenia losing its ‘competitive advantage’.
Georgia
Kobakhidze blames ‘liberal ideology’ for declining birth rates
According to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, birth rates have little to do with social factors.
Georgia
Two foreign nationals arrested for purchasing uranium in Georgia
The two were arrested in Kutaisi, western Georgia.
Azerbaijan
Aliyev meets with CEO of AIPAC during visit to Washington
President Ilham Aliyev is in the US to attend the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
Daily Brief
Thursday, 19 February 2026
Regional * Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are both in the US to attend the first meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace today. Armenia * Armenian police have announced that the ‘full circle of individuals’ involved in the shootings on Wednesday afternoon in Yerevan was identified and ‘measures are being taken to locate them’. No further information has been provided about the incident as a result of which one person was killed
Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Georgia
Bidzina Ivanishvili’s jailed ex-ally released in surprise move
Giorgi Bachiashvili had been sentenced to 11 years in a case linked to the founder of Georgia’s ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Ingushetia
Two political prisoners released after serving sentences in the ‘Ingush case’
Akhmed Barakhoev and Musa Malsagov have fully served the sentences imposed by the court.
Armenia
Breaking: 1 killed and 6 injured in Yerevan shooting
Official information about the shooters and their motives has yet to be released.
Georgian Dream
Georgian Constitutional Court refuses to review judge’s appeal against administrative arrests
The judge had requested a review of the constitutionality of administrative arrests
Azerbaijan
Two Azerbaijani TikTokers jailed for ‘immoral behaviour’ on social media
Last week, three people were arrested for social media posts.
Georgia
Georgian journalist Eliso Kiladze among 10 charged with fraud and money laundering
The defendants face up to 12 years in prison.
Russia
South Ossetia and Abkhazia again top list of Russia’s ‘friendliest neighbours’
Georgia’s rating increased from 2024, while those of Armenia and Azerbaijan both dropped.
North Ossetia–Alania
International Testing Agency drops doping charges against North Ossetian Olympic champion
The case against Khadzhimurat Gatsalov, initiated in May 2025, has been fully closed.
Daily Brief
Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Regional * South Ossetia and Abkhazia top Russian-state owned media group Russia Today’s ‘friendliness’ ranking in the post-Soviet world. South Ossetia has ranked first and Abkhazia second. Armenia has ranked eighth with Azerbaijan trailing behind at ninth place — both countries appear to have dropped in ranking from 2024. Armenia * Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has received Gert-Jan Koopman, the EU Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations. According to the Armenian
The United States
Opinion | Vance’s visit shows the US wants to stay engaged — on the region’s terms
JD Vance’s visit to the South Caucasus was not about taking over the region — it was about partnership and, paradoxically, independence.
Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Chechnya
Chechnya’s Supreme Court overturns sentence of activists’ mother, orders retrial
During the retrial, Musaeva will remain in custody.
Georgia
Georgian opposition TV channel says it is being investigated over US donation
TV Kavkasia’s bank account is public while the channel is asking for donations.
Georgia
Ivanishvili-backed university introduces ‘astrolinguistics’ as key universities face cuts
The programmes were introduced by a ‘gematria specialist’ who claims to have uncovered ‘hidden knowledge’ in ancient Georgian texts.
Armenia
Armenia deports Chechen who threatened to murder daughter
The deportation follows the high-profile murder of a Chechen woman in Yerevan.
Chechnya
Chechen man suspected of killing ex-wife in France takes own life
Bashir Alibiev was found dead in his cell in a detention centre.
Armenia
Armenia bars Catholicos Karekin II from leaving country
Karekin II was set to attend the bishops’ synod in Austria.
Armenia–Azerbaijan Conflict
Ruben Vardanyan sentenced to 20 years in prison
The trial of former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan lasted more than a year.
Daily Brief
Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Regional * On Monday consular consultations took place between the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Ministry of Georgia in Baku. The parties discussed issues ‘related to protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens’ of both countries and agreed to ‘intensify cooperation’. * An Azerbaijani–Georgian–Turkish business forum will be held in Georgia’s Kakheti region on 26 February. According to Azerbaijani media outlet APA, the three countries’ economy ministers will all attend the fo
Monday, 16 February 2026
Chechnya
More than 3,000 divorced families reunited in Chechnya, authorities report
The figure is higher than in the eight years of the reunification commission's existence.
Georgia
Ban on questioning government legitimacy introduced to Georgian Parliament
The ruling party equates what it calls ‘establishing the perception’ that the government is illegitimate with extremism.
