Azerbaijan
Aliyev says Nagorno-Karabakh reconstruction ‘main priority’ for Azerbaijan
Presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev stated that Azerbaijan is the only country ‘which has restored more than 300 villages using its own resources’.
News Stories
Yesterday, 19 May 2026
Yesterday, 19 May 2026
Georgia
Russian students stage WWII performance in Georgian state theatre
The Russian Interests Section reported the event.
2026 Armenian parliamentary elections
Arrests and controversy following several heated campaign encounters with Pashinyan
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has accused the opposition of plotting ‘provocations’ during his campaign.
Azerbaijan
Baku–Tbilisi passenger rail service to resume from 26 May
Passenger rail service has been suspended for more than six years.
Georgia
Georgia to create special Interior Ministry department to monitor and penalise ‘hate speech’
The ruling Georgian Dream party has insisted on the department’s creation does not amount to censorship.
Ingushetia
Ingush imam rails on men wearing short-sleeved shirts and ‘insufficient control’ over women
Imam Ahmed Ugurchiev considers ordinary T-shirts to be ‘sleepwear’.
Economy
Georgian local exports reach record high as trade shows strong growth
Revenue generated from local exports reached $1.551 billion, marking a 73.5% annual increase.
Daily Brief
Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Regional * The Azerbaijan Economy Ministry has stated that it will resume daily passenger train services on the Baku–Tbilisi–Baku route from 26 May after an agreement was reached with Georgia. Passenger rail service between Baku and Tbilisi was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdown, and Azerbaijan has since repeatedly extended the land border closure, with the latest extension set to run until 1 July 2026. * Yesterday, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed agreemen
Monday, 18 May 2026
Georgia–Ukraine Relations
Georgian and Ukrainian foreign ministers meet again in latest sign of warming ties
The increased communication has strengthened discussions on normalisation prospects between the two countries.
Chechnya
Akhmat club fighter expelled after assault on women in Grozny
Dzhikhad Yunusov has still not been detained despite public outrage and an Interior Ministry inquiry.
Abkhazia
Gunba focuses on economy and Russian relations in first major press conference since 2025 election
An underlying theme throughout the press conference was Abkhazia’s dependence on external factors, primarily regarding interactions with Russia.
Georgia
Patriarch Shio III targets abortion, ‘gender ideology’ on ‘Family Purity Day’
Patriarch Shio III made remarks after the Family Purity Day March.
Azerbaijan
Baku hit by mass flooding as it hosts international forum
Photos and video taken by a forum participant showed that the area where the World Urban Forum was held was also flooded.
Armenia
Armenia launches investigation into alleged plot to assassinate Pashinyan
The investigation was announced after a video appeared online showing masked and armed men issuing direct threats to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Georgia
US court sentences Georgian national to 15 years in prison over white supremacist terror plot
Michail Chkhikvishvili was found criminally liable for ‘soliciting hate crimes and distributing instructions to make bombs and ricin’.
Kabarda–Balkaria
Authorities in Kabarda–Balkaria again ban march commemorating Circassian Genocide
Ahead of 21 May, residents began being summoned to police stations to receive warnings against participating in unauthorised actions.
Armenia
Yerevan court accepts Pashinyan’s defamation case over Kareptyan’s hallucinogenic mushrooms comment
Russian-Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan, who also heads the most popular opposition party, alleged Pashinyan was taking hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Daily Brief
Monday, 18 May 2026
Regional * The Russian Cabinet of Ministers has supported a cooperation agreement between the governments of Daghestan and South Ossetia. The order was signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The agreement would increase trade, economic, scientific, technical, and socio-cultural cooperation. Armenia * Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone call with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during which the two leaders discussed various issues related to bilateral cooperation
Friday, 15 May 2026
Daghestan
Childcare workers jailed after allegedly severing toe of two-year-old at Makhachkala kindergarten
The staff members allegedly attempted to conceal that the child had lost a toe.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan hosts neocolonialism-focused Global South conference
On 14 May, Baku hosted the first General Assembly of the Global South NGOs Platform.
2026 Armenian parliamentary elections
Criminal cases, insults and claims of foreign control: Armenia’s pre-election campaign heats up
Armenia is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on 7 June.
South Ossetia
Tbilisi says Russia advances annexation steps in Georgia after new South Ossetia deal
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili spoke on the issue at a Council of Europe event in Moldova.
Daily Brief
Friday, 15 May 2026
Regional * Former Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili has been appointed CEO of the Italian petroleum company Italiana Petroli (IP), which had recently been acquired by Azerbaijan’s SOCAR. Davitashvili stepped down as minister in June 2025. * Yesterday, 14 freight wagons with Russian wheat were sent to Armenia via Azerbaijan. Armenia * In a heated exchange, former President Robert Kocharyan referred to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as a ‘lackey’. Later the same day, Pashinyan r
Karachay–Cherkessia
Sochi court upholds sentence of Karachay–Cherkessia resident in tourist murder case
Supporters of the convicted man insist he acted in self-defence.
SOCAR
Ex-Georgian Economy Minister appointed CEO of SOCAR-acquired Italian petroleum company
Levan Davitashvili served as Economy Minister from February 2022 to June 2025.
Georgia
Georgia’s new vineyard rules draw accusations of ‘Soviet-style thinking’ from small producers
While the government insists the regulations will safeguard Georgian wine’s reputation abroad, critics argue they could wipe out smaller producers.
Thursday, 14 May 2026
2026 Armenian parliamentary elections
Pashinyan orders dismissal of four school principals for letting teachers and students attend Civil Contract rally
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the resignation letters were submitted per his instruction.
Imedi
Pro-government Georgian TV Imedi temporarily banned from European Parliament
Imedi noted that it had received an official letter regarding the matter.
Georgia–EU Relations
Georgians rank second after Turks in deportations from EU
Over 10,000 Georgians and 13,000 Turks were deported from the EU in 2025.
Armenia
Armenian billionaire vows to build Noah’s Ark after construction of world’s tallest Jesus statue
Gagik Tsarukyan, also an opposition figure, had earlier dubbed his signature campaign platform a ‘political and civic Noah’s Ark’.
