Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan places Armenian prisoners in Umbaki high-security prison
All 19 of them were reportedly transferred to a pre-trial detention centre at Umbaki.
News Stories
Today, 29 April 2026
Today, 29 April 2026
The Georgian Orthodox Church
Georgian Orthodox Church shortlists three candidates for next Patriarch — who are they?
The date of the final election has not yet been set.
Chechnya
Russia accuses Germany of security threat after MP meets Ichkherian Head Zakaev
Berlin called Moscow’s statements unfounded after German Ambassador Alexander Graf Lambsdorff was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Armenia–Turkey Relations
Armenia and Turkey hold inaugural meeting of joint railway restoration group
Despite reaching an agreement in 2022, the Armenia–Turkey border remains closed.
Chechnya
Serbia revokes decision to grant citizenship to Kadyrov’s nephew
The authorities annulled a decision adopted several days earlier, citing a threat to public security.
Georgia
Georgia’s DMD families and their uphill fight for treatment
Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease that causes rapid muscle loss — in Georgia, there is little state support for healthcare.
Chechnya
Calls to remove Chechen activist from PACE after comments in support of honour killings
Ruslan Kutaev remarked that no one has the right to condemn a family over a decision ‘to kill, return home or marry off’ a family member.
Daily Brief
Wednesday, 29 April 2026
Regional Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan have reportedly been transferred to the high-security Umbaki prison in Azerbaijan from the isolation cells of the State Security Service. Qafqazinfo has reported that an Azerbaijani delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev arrived in Yerevan. Mustafayev is also the head of the Demarcation and Delimitation Commission of the Azerbaijan side. Armenia The Chief of the General Staff, Edward Asryan, paid an official visit to India, w
Yesterday, 28 April 2026
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani diplomat arrested for smuggling 70 kilogrammes of gold
The same day, another bag containing 14 kilogrammes of gold bars was found in the Istanbul airport storage locker.
Georgia
The scarcity of childcare services for children under two in Georgia
Open-search research suggests that less than 35 daycare centres across the whole country accept children under two.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan and Czechia discuss joint military production and energy
During the visit, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš led a delegation of 50 entrepreneurs.
Georgia–EU Relations
Tbilisi summons EU Ambassador Herczyński over government criticism
Ambassador Paweł Herczyński was summoned by Tbilisi for his critical remarks in Brussels.
Armenia–Russia Relations
Russia accuses Armenian NGOs of ‘undermining bilateral relations’
Separately, amidst bilateral tensions, Russia has banned the sale of a batch of Armenian Jermuk mineral water.
Georgia–Poland Relations
Poland’s public broadcaster launches Georgian-language news service
The news service was founded by the International Broadcasting Centre of Poland’s Public Broadcaster (TVP).
Daily Brief
Tuesday, 28 April 2026
Regional Some Georgian media outlets have reported that, as part of the border demarcation process, Armenia would hand over the border village of Jiliza to Georgia. The press secretary of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, denied the reports in a social media post today. Armenia Artur Avanesyan, a member of Samvel Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party, has been placed under pre-trial detention for two months on charges of electoral bribery. His lawyers say he denies all allegat
Monday, 27 April 2026
Georgia
South Ossetia condemns arrest of resident by Georgia on espionage charges
The detainee is reportedly Tamaz Goloev from Akhalgori (Leningor).
2026 Armenian parliamentary elections
Armenia arrests senior member of Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party
This is the latest arrest involving members and affiliates of the Strong Armenia alliance.
Georgia
Georgian protester Grigoriadis, previously sentenced and pardoned, detained on new charges
Lazare Grigoriadis was detained two years after being pardoned.
Azerbaijan–Ukraine relations
Aliyev and Zelenskyi sign six agreements in Azerbaijan
The two met in Gabala, just south of the border with Russia.
Daily Brief
Monday, 27 April 2026
Regional * The South Ossetian Foreign Ministry has claimed that Tamaz Goloev, a 27-year-old resident of Akhalgori, has been detained by Georgia’s State Security Service on fabricated grounds. Goloev was detained last week on espionage charges, reportedly in favour of Russia. Armenia * Armenia celebrated Citizen’s Day on Saturday with a large-scale concert in Yerevan’s Republic Square titled the ‘Voice of Peace’. The event drew attention for its financing, as it was sponsored by Fast Bank,
Friday, 24 April 2026
Georgia
Armenians in Georgia denied permission to commemorate genocide near Turkish Embassy
The organisation refused to hold the protest at an alternative location.
Azerbaijan
EU sanctions Azerbaijani bank, but removes five Azerbaijani vessels
The five vessels were sanctioned for transporting Russian energy products in July 2025.
Chechnya
Adam Kadyrov launches energy drink in Chechnya
Previously, his father, Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov, described energy drinks as poison.
Georgian Dream’s purge
Georgia’s ex-Defence Minister Burchuladze sentenced to 10 years in prison
The sentencing comes amidst an apparent purge of former senior officials.
Armenian Genocide
Pashinyan links Armenian Genocide to ‘international machinations’ in commemorative address
The Armenian Genocide is commemorated annually on 24 April.
Chechnya
NIYSO reports new wave of Chechen detentions and raids
The NIYSO movement added that relatives of those detained have been receiving threats.
Daily Brief
Friday, 24 April 2026
Regional * Today, five freight wagons of wheat will be sent to Armenia via Azerbaijan. Armenia * Today Armenia commemorates the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1.5 million Armenians. * In his message on the occasion, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that according to Armenian academic literature, the genocide ‘was also a consequence of the practice of drawing the Armenian people into international ma
Donald Trump
Tbilisi’s ‘fairytale’ Trump Tower — doomed to fail?
As Georgia–US relations remain sour and with the shadow of a failed project in Batumi, Trump Tower Tbilisi has a lot to live up to.
Thursday, 23 April 2026
Azerbaijan
Baku sentences Russian national detained at height of Azerbaijan–Russia tensions
Aleksandr Vaisero denied all accusations of money laundering, stating that he had come to Azerbaijan for tourism purposes.
Armenia–Russia Relations
Russia claims EU accession could cost Armenia ‘23% of GDP’
The warning is the latest in a series of similar messages from Moscow to Yerevan.
