Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 24-28 August, 2026

● A group of radical nationalists staged a protest outside Azerbaijan’s diplomatic mission in Moscow. Unknown individuals put up three provocative posters, filmed the action and published the video on the group’s Telegram channel, which has tens of thousands of subscribers. The posters read: “SGB [State Security Service] tortures — Aliyev covers it up!”, “Russian blood is on your hands!” and “Hands off Russian citizens!” The accompanying text accused Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev of pursuing an “anti-Russian policy”. The authors claimed that eight Russian citizens are being held in detention in Azerbaijan and “subjected to torture”. The channel also alleged that “media under Aliyev’s control openly support Ukraine and demonise the Russian army, […] while Azerbaijani diasporas continue to conduct shadow business in Russia”. The organisers also angrily referred to the three Russian experts wanted by Azerbaijan after they called on a YouTube talk show for changes to Azerbaijan’s constitutional order, violations of its territorial integrity and terrorist attacks.

● Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the provocation and called on the relevant Russian authorities to give a legal assessment of the actions, conduct a comprehensive investigation and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

● Political scientist and peace activist Bahruz Samadov, sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of treason, continues to complain about his detention conditions and health. At his request, relatives published the following statement: “They keep me in a room six steps long. How long can a person live in such a cramped room without access to television for an entire year? Their goal is to destroy me psychologically and physically,” Samadov said. He also reported vision problems and a skin condition which, he said, are either not treated or poorly treated in prison. Azerbaijan’s RFE/RL service was unable to obtain a response from the penitentiary service. The service previously said, in response to similar complaints, that prison conditions meet legal requirements and inmates have access to all necessary services.

Bahruz Samadov is a doctoral student at Charles University in the Czech Republic. He was detained in August 2024 after travelling to Baku on holiday. Samadov continues to deny any wrongdoing. In April last year, he wrote an open letter to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan asking him to publicly state that Samadov had no cooperation with Armenian intelligence services. Earlier this year, Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service said it had never had any ties to Bahruz Samadov. More details on the case here.

● The possibility of attracting Azerbaijani investment to Tajikistan’s free economic zones was discussed at a meeting between representatives of the two countries’ economic ministries. It was noted that trade between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan increased by 241% in 2025 compared with the previous year.

● Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and China’s Export-Import Bank are discussing cooperation in the energy and refining sectors during talks in Baku.

● Azerbaijan’s trade turnover with Russia has fallen by more than 31% since the beginning of this year compared with the same period last year. Over the past year, the value of Azerbaijan’s exports to Russia increased by 3.9%, while imports from Russia fell by 42%. Trade with Russia accounted for 7.2% of Azerbaijan’s total trade turnover.

● The Foreign Ministry congratulated Moldova on its Independence Day.

● The content of textbooks for several subjects in grades 6–9 will be updated starting from the 2026–2027 academic year. The main goal is not only to provide students with theoretical knowledge but also to develop their ability to apply it in real-life situations, solve problems and conduct research, as well as develop critical and creative thinking skills, the Ministry of Science and Education said. The subjects include Social Studies, Azerbaijani, Mathematics, English, Azerbaijani History, Geography, Biology, Physics and others. The new editions contain more tasks on contemporary topics, including financial literacy, environmental responsibility, digital skills, media and information literacy, and cybersecurity.

● Customs officers at Baku International Airport found 15.849 grams of cocaine concealed from customs control on an Azerbaijani citizen travelling to Tbilisi. A search of his rented apartment subsequently uncovered 16 grams of marijuana, 2.440 grams of cannabis seeds and two psychotropic pills. An investigation has been launched.

● Football club Sabah, which secured a place in the main stage of the UEFA Champions League, will receive 5 million manats (about $3 million) from the president’s reserve fund. On August 25, Sabah defeated Hapoel in the Champions League play-off on aggregate, winning 5–2 after losing the first leg 1–2.

● Azerbaijani national team member Musab Mammadtaghiyev was named the best athlete of the U-15 European Championship held in Pristina. Mammadtaghiyev finished 18 points ahead of all other competitors. He won three gold medals in the 70kg weight category. Azerbaijan finished fifth among 24 teams in terms of the number and quality of medals won.

e Champions League play-off on aggregate, winning 5–2 after losing the first leg 1–2.

● Azerbaijani national team member Musab Mammadtaghiyev was named the best athlete of the U-15 European Championship held in Pristina. Mammadtaghiyev finished 18 points ahead of all other competitors. He won three gold medals in the 70kg weight category. Azerbaijan finished fifth among 24 teams in terms of the number and quality of medals won.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told journalists about a recent meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani officials in Lachin, Karabakh, on the interconnection of the two countries’ energy systems. Given the investments in Armenia’s artificial intelligence sector, which require increased electricity supplies, Armenia needs to create options for importing electricity if necessary, including from Azerbaijan, Pashinyan said. He noted that the issue is also being discussed with Georgia, Iran and Türkiye, and recalled that a transformer station is being built on the Georgian border.

● Russia’s Foreign Ministry has again criticised Armenia over the dispute surrounding the Armenian railway. The railway has been under a 30-year Russian concession since 2008, and Armenia risks missing a historic opportunity to participate in new international logistics initiatives and integrate into the international railway network. Nikol Pashinyan has called on Moscow to agree to transfer the concession to a third party in return for $400 million in compensation. “Before making public statements, partners, if they are partners, sit down at the negotiating table and discuss existing problems and concerns in a businesslike manner, especially if, as Yerevan claims, there is a desire to find a solution in a friendly manner,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. She also suggested that the situation may have arisen because “the West is blackmailing Armenia”. “This fully reflects the style of the dishonest game played by Western capitals, which are trying to push Russia out of the South Caucasus,” Zakharova said.

● Starting next month, Armenia plans to export up to 40 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables a week to the UAE. A memorandum to this effect was signed by Armenia’s Minister of Economy and the CEO of Watermelon Ecosystem.

● Former president Robert Kocharyan, the detained leader of the opposition pro-Russian Armenia bloc, has been discharged from hospital and transferred back to a pre-trial detention centre. Kocharyan has been remanded in custody for two months. He is charged with abuse of office, large-scale money laundering and receiving a large-scale bribe.

● Hayk Atoyan, a member of the Armenia bloc, wrote on social media: “Humiliated by Aliyev, Nikol has arrested for two months President Kocharyan, who humiliated the Aliyevs. This is already happening for the fourth time — because Robert Kocharyan never shook hands with that despicable traitor or made a deal with him under any circumstances. Sooner or later, Nikol Pashinyan will crawl at Kocharyan’s feet, and those who negotiated all this with him will also get down on their knees.”

● Nikol Pashinyan: “If the citizens of Armenia believe that a mistake is being made, they have the right to make a revolution. Let them then take to the streets to save the property of Kocharyan, Tsarukyan, the Kaluga [Russian] oligarch Samvel Karapetyan, and Serzh Sargsyan. Let them remove us from power and bring back these beloved and most honest people, and hang us in Republic Square. I agree to this scenario. The people’s decision is not up for discussion for me,” the prime minister said at a briefing.

● CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov commented on Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that he “would be glad if Armenia were expelled from the alliance”. “One should not anticipate developments related to Armenia’s withdrawal from the CSTO, because there is the position of the country’s leadership, but there is also the opinion of the Armenian people.” A CSTO Council meeting on Armenia’s membership will be held in November, he said.

● A preliminary hearing will be held today in the criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops and archbishops who are members of the Supreme Spiritual Council. Defence lawyers will attend the hearing, meaning the Catholicos himself will not be present.

● Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to Moldova’s president on the country’s Independence Day. “I am confident that, in the context of our countries’ rapprochement with the European Union, we will be able to open up new mutually beneficial areas of cooperation,” the message said.

● The prime ministers of Armenia and Georgia held a phone call, discussing the development of strategic relations and cooperation in various areas.

● The Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to the families of those killed in floods in Nepal and China.

● The names of three ministries are being changed. The Ministry of High-Tech Industry will be renamed the Ministry of High-Tech Industry and Artificial Intelligence. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will become the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will become the Ministry of Labour and Welfare.

● A memorial to the heroes of the Second World War will be moved from the town square to Friendship Park in Artik, Shirak Province, to ensure its preservation.

● President Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned 226 people on the occasion of Mariamoba, the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. According to the president’s administration, 217 people serving prison sentences and six people serving non-custodial sentences were released. Three people had their criminal records cleared. This is Kavelashvili’s ninth pardon since his inauguration in late 2024. Among those released are activists detained during pro-European protests: Guram Khutashvili, Daniel Mumladze and Saba Jikia. Khutashvili and Mumladze were each sentenced to three years in prison for damaging video cameras, while Jikia was sentenced to four years and six months for assaulting a police officer. Reports say those pardoned also include Fridon Bubuteishvili, who was serving a five-year sentence; Davit Khomeriki, accused of plotting a bombing; and Simon Maharadze, Avtandil Topchishvili and Tornike Mchedlishvili, detained in the “October 4 case” over an alleged attempt to seize the presidential palace.

● On August 27, prominent ruling party figure Mamuka Mdinaradze announced his resignation as Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure. He said he wanted to take a break and spend more time with his family. Mdinaradze has held three different positions in less than a year. Just two days before his resignation, on August 25, the ministry had reported on his working meetings and future plans. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Mdinaradze was leaving because of psychological stress and said he had “discussed the issue with Bidzina Ivanishvili”, the oligarch and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Political analyst Gia Khukhashvili said Mdinaradze is part of Kobakhidze’s team and that his resignation could signal the possible dismissal of the prime minister himself. More details here.

● Heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the municipalities of Baghdati and Zestafoni in western Georgia. Roads were damaged, and traffic was blocked at the 3rd kilometre of the Tskaltashua–Sairme road. Local residents reported passengers stranded in cars on the road near Nerge­ti. Residents also said arable land and vineyards were flooded in the village of Sviri, Zestafoni municipality. The Baghdati municipal authorities urged residents to exercise caution and avoid travelling.

● The Public Defender called on Tbilisi City Hall to determine whether materials found during the reconstruction of Rustaveli Avenue contain asbestos. Its presence has not yet been confirmed. The Public Defender noted that the First Classical Gymnasium and Public School No. 47 are located near the construction site, with classes due to resume on September 15. If asbestos is confirmed, the Public Defender has called for dry cutting and crushing of the material to be prohibited, workers to be provided with personal protective equipment, and waste to be collected separately in labelled packaging. The ombudsman also insisted that the public must be clearly informed about testing and safety measures.

● A total of 1,795 applicants passed the national exams by meeting the minimum competency threshold but failed to gain admission to any programme. The National Assessment and Examinations Centre attributed this to high competition for the selected programmes and the limited number of programmes chosen by applicants. Of the 39,689 applicants who took the exams, 34,150 were admitted. According to the Centre, 60.55% of those admitted will continue their studies with full state funding.

● Gas supplies to 10,000 customers were cut off following an accident on a gas pipeline in the Mtatsminda area of Tbilisi. Tbilisi Energy planned to restore supplies by the evening that day, but there is currently no confirmed information that the restoration has been completed.

● Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that “Armenia’s accession to the European Union — an aggressive anti-Russian alliance — does not serve the long-term interests of the Armenian people.” The Kremlin was responding to statements by Armenian authorities about plans to apply for EU membership. The statement said that official Yerevan’s rhetoric about joining the EU leaves “behind the scenes” the bloc’s militarisation and preparations for direct military confrontation with Moscow.

● Former President Robert Kocharyan and his son Sedrak Kocharyan, detained the previous day in a corruption case, have been remanded in custody for two months as a preventive measure. The criminal case involves, among other things, large-scale money laundering, abuse of office and accepting particularly large bribes.

● Third President Serzh Sargsyan has been barred from leaving the country because he is involved in the same criminal case as Robert Kocharyan. Overall, four of the six people detained the previous day have been remanded in custody. Another defendant has been placed under house arrest.

● While the court hearing was underway, Kocharyan’s supporters gathered outside, warning of “threats to the country’s security.” “This is not simply political persecution of a former president. The authorities are preparing new concessions to Azerbaijan and seeking to eliminate the main opposition players in advance,” said Agnesa Khamoyan, an MP from the pro-Russian opposition.

● Kocharyan’s second son, MP Levon Kocharyan, said he does not expect a fair court ruling in his father’s case. He also said Robert Kocharyan’s health had improved somewhat after recently undergoing a stent procedure and that “they took this as a basis and brought him to court.”

● Levon Kocharyan has appealed the search of his apartment to the Appeals Anti-Corruption Court. His lawyer said the prosecutor general should have first submitted a request to parliament to lift the MP’s immunity before searching his home, but this was not done.

● Levon Kocharyan’s wife, well-known singer Sirusho, spoke out after the search of their home and Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that pro-Russian oligarchs “should be deprived of their assets so they cannot bribe the population.” “The values of my life do not begin with property and do not end with it. There is no point in trying to frighten me with this. I have worked since I was seven. Even if you destroy what I have created, I will create something new.”

● Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan said that no one from Russia had contacted him so far over Robert Kocharyan. “I hope no one will, because it makes no sense. Kocharyan and his supporters’ rhetoric coincides with that of the ‘talking heads’ in Moscow,” Simonyan said.

● Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that “domestic political processes in Armenia will be carried out in accordance with the law.” Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that “Armenia’s opposition forces are trying to bring peacekeepers from the Russia-led CSTO military bloc into the country, but this will not happen.” Peskov’s statement came several hours after Robert Kocharyan was detained.

● “Moscow would be very disappointed with the results if a referendum on Armenia’s membership in the EU or the EAEU [the Russia-led economic bloc] were held in the near future,” Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan said. “Even people who did not vote for the ruling party are deeply offended by Russia’s position during the Second Karabakh War in 2020 and subsequent events, as well as by statements made by Russian journalists, public figures and officials, and by the Belarusian authorities,” Alen Simonyan said.

● Reform of the Armenian Apostolic Church cannot be carried out under external pressure, the Supreme Spiritual Council said, commenting on the government’s decision to include church reform in its new programme. The prime minister has also said he is ready to discuss a church reform programme with Catholicos Garegin II. “The government has neither the authority nor the constitutionally established competence to do this and cannot impose ‘proposals’ or demands on the clergy,” the statement said.

● AGE S.A., a holding company owned by Armenian businessman Karen Safaryan and part of the Arins Group, has acquired the five-star Biltmore Hotel on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, Georgian media report. Arins Group has also agreed to acquire Terrabank from an investment holding company owned by a UAE sheikh. The deal has been reached, but the sale of the bank’s shares still requires approval from the National Bank of Georgia. Georgian media report that Arins Group is in fact promoting Russian interests in Georgia.

● The establishment of a joint cargo terminal with Kazakhstan at the Port of Alat in Baku is being discussed during a working visit by a delegation from Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, headed by Deputy Chairman of the Management Board Yerlan Koishybayev. The terminal would strengthen the transport and logistics infrastructure of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and, consequently, connectivity between logistics hubs in China, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Since the beginning of this year, container traffic has increased by 50% compared with the same period last year, while the number of container trains has risen by 82%.

● The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Azerbaijan must pay compensation to several applicants who were barred from leaving the country. The applicants had been convicted in various criminal cases, initially detained and later placed under police supervision. According to their complaints, no investigative actions had been carried out in the cases since 2015, while the travel restrictions remained in place. The European Court found that the complexity of the cases did not justify criminal proceedings continuing for more than 10 years and leaving the applicants in a state of constant uncertainty about their future.

● Meta has blocked the Instagram pages of independent Azerbaijani media outlets operating in exile, Abzas Media and Toplum TV, following copyright infringement complaints. The outlets’ representatives say the decision was orchestrated by the Azerbaijani authorities. Abzas Media director Gunel Safarova told Meydan TV that four copyright complaints were filed against the outlet between August 22 and 25. Safarova said the sources had been clearly credited in the published material. She said all four complaints were submitted by the same person and suggested this could be a coordinated attack.

Most staff members of both outlets are in prison in Azerbaijan on charges of smuggling and other serious crimes. They deny the allegations and say they are being persecuted for their critical reporting. Many local and international human rights organisations consider the arrests politically motivated and are calling for the journalists’ release.

● The State Customs Committee said the queue of trailers at the Azerbaijan-Georgia border, which had lasted for more than a week, has been cleared. More than 700 trucks had been waiting to cross at the Red Bridge customs checkpoint.

● US companies SIG SAUER and Lockheed Martin will participate for the first time in the Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition (ADEX 2026), to be held in Baku from September 30 to October 2, 2026. The UK and Germany will also participate in the forum for the first time. More than 200 companies from over 20 countries have confirmed their participation. As in previous years, Belarus, Czechia, Italy, Türkiye and Slovakia will take part with national pavilions.

● The Turkish president has signed a decree establishing academic units of Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) at Karabakh University in Khankendi, Azerbaijan. Starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, Karabakh University and İTÜ will jointly offer a double-degree programme in engineering.

● The Foreign Ministry expressed its deep condolences over floods and landslides on the Nepal-China border that have killed more than 150 people, while thousands remain missing.

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met with US Chargé d’Affaires in Georgia Amy Dias (pictured). According to the government administration, she confirmed the US readiness to restore the strategic partnership with Georgia “from a clean slate.” No specific steps towards this goal were reported. Dias was appointed in July. The ambassadorial post had remained vacant since Robin Dunnigan, who was critical of the Georgian authorities, ended her mission last summer. The ruling Georgian Dream party has linked hopes of restoring relations with the US to Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. So far, however, Washington has not reversed the previous administration’s decision to suspend the strategic partnership with Georgia and impose sanctions on members of its leadership.

● European Commissioner Marta Kos said the European Commission will present ideas on preparing for EU enlargement in September, with European leaders expected to discuss the issue in October. Kos supports the gradual integration of candidate countries but links this to fulfilment of reform commitments. She also warned: “We must make sure we do not let Trojan horses into the EU. Not today, not in 10 or 20 years.” Kos did not specifically mention Georgia, which is an EU candidate country but whose integration process has been halted by a decision of the Georgian authorities. Responding to Kos’s remarks, Georgian Dream MP Archil Gorduladze said that “because of its geographical location, the EU may need Georgia more than Georgia needs the EU.” He also accused Kos of supporting the inflow of “black money” into Georgia, without providing evidence.

● On the 18th anniversary of Moscow’s recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that “Russia will continue strengthening their security and statehood.” The UN and the overwhelming majority of countries consider both regions to be Georgian territories occupied by Russia. Zakharova spoke about the creation of a joint defence and security system with the two regions and repeated the Kremlin’s claim that “the decision to recognise them in 2008 saved the populations of both regions from being destroyed by Georgia.” Akhsar Dzhioyev, de facto foreign minister of the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia), said that “it would be in Georgia’s interests to recognise both regions as independent states.” He accused Tbilisi of refusing to sign a legally binding non-use-of-force agreement as part of the Geneva International Discussions.

● The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) called the penitentiary service’s refusal to allow the novel “The Observer” by Georgian writer Lasha Bugadze to be given to a prisoner censorship and a violation of the right to access information. The service said the book’s title creates ambiguity about its content. GYLA said the agency should have identified specific passages and explained how their content posed a security threat. The organisation links the ban to the novel’s anti-authoritarian content. The book tells the story of a despot’s almost half-century rule in Georgia. More here.

● The government has increased funding for the Disaster Prevention Programme from approximately 7.3 million lari (about $2.8 million) to 13.8 million lari (about $5.3 million), BPN reports. The programme covers 17 municipalities. In April, the National Environmental Agency also published a plan to install landslide monitoring and early-warning systems in Oni, Mestia, Akhmeta and Kazbegi. Around 4.2 million lari has been allocated for this project (about $1.6 million).

● According to official data, Georgian hotels and hotel-type establishments accommodated 6.2 million guests last year, 6.5% more than the previous year. Foreigners accounted for 62.7% of guests. Israeli citizens made up the largest share: 555,400 guests, or 14.3% of all foreign visitors. Some 92% of foreign guests stayed at leisure-oriented accommodation. The number of hotels increased by 4.5% to 2,783. The total number of rooms reached 54,300, while the number of beds stood at 120,200.

● Former President Robert Kocharyan and his elder son, Sedrak Kocharyan, have been detained. Anti-Corruption Committee officers searched Kocharyan’s home, the home of his other son, Levon Kocharyan, an MP from the opposition pro-Russian Armenia bloc, and dozens of other addresses linked to the family. The former president’s office called the developments “another attack by the authorities against President Kocharyan.”

● The prosecutor initiated public criminal proceedings against Robert Kocharyan on charges of abuse of official powers (three counts), accepting a particularly large bribe (two counts) and large-scale money laundering (four counts). Criminal proceedings were also initiated against nine other people, including Sedrak Kocharyan, the former defense minister, a former prime minister, a former Yerevan mayor and an employee of Local Developers. The director of the former president’s mansion complex, who managed construction activities for the company Aigedzor, his wife and two daughters were also detained.

● The Anti-Corruption Court has received requests to remand six people in custody, including Sedrak Kocharyan.

● Levon Kocharyan’s lawyers said the search of his apartment was illegal because he has parliamentary immunity. They said security officers took commemorative medals from the apartment that were inscribed as wedding gifts. His minor children were at home and were frightened, his lawyer said.

● Levon Kocharyan called the criminal case against members of his family politically motivated and said that “no one in the family, including the children, is afraid of these masked raids.” “There is nothing new in this case. Since 2018 [when Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his team came to power — JAMnews], the case has already been brought before the courts several times for various reasons. Nothing new has happened and nothing new has been uncovered,” the MP said.

● Anna Grigoryan, an MP from the same Armenia parliamentary faction, said “all of this is being done exclusively against the backdrop of upcoming concessions to Azerbaijan — the transfer of the village of Tigranashen and the adoption of an ‘Aliyev Constitution.’ “This is an attempt to neutralize the main players and create such an atmosphere of fear that no Armenian citizen with opposition views will dare to express their position. That is the main goal,” Grigoryan said.

Context: Armenia’s pro-Russian opposition has criticized the authorities over the ongoing process of constitutional amendments. The focus is on Armenia’s 1990 Declaration of Independence, which is referenced in the current Constitution. The declaration calls for the reunification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan considers this a territorial claim and insists that a peace agreement can be signed only after the provision is removed from Armenia’s Constitution. Armenian authorities have repeatedly said that constitutional changes are needed by Armenia itself and that the issue has never been discussed with anyone outside the country. A draft of the new Constitution is expected to be published in the coming weeks for nationwide public discussion.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commented on the arrests in social media posts. “Yes, Gagik Tsarukyan [an arrested businessman and pro-Russian politician] and Robert Kocharyan should both go to prison. They should be deprived of the money they can use to bribe people. This is my political responsibility, and the state cannot fail to do this. It’s not me saying this — it’s the Armenian people. The era of the mafia is over,” Pashinyan said.

● The European Court of Human Rights has accepted for consideration two complaints filed on behalf of Gagik Tsarukyan. His lawyers said his arrest was “illegal and politically motivated.”

● “Armenia will not prevent Russians who want to avoid mobilization and being sent to the front from entering the country,” Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan said in an interview with the Russian-language TV channel Dozhd. “No one at the border is going to ask anyone why they came here. Russian citizens can enter Armenia without a passport; an identity card is sufficient. I can tell Russians only one thing: ‘Welcome to Armenia.’ We love and respect everyone here,” Simonyan said.

● Nikol Pashinyan also commented on the “March 1 case” — the deadly crackdown on a large protest in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, when demonstrators disputed the results of the presidential election. Firearms were used and 10 people were killed. Robert Kocharyan was president at the time and is the main defendant in the case. “Some people say the March 1 case has still not been solved. It has been solved, but the justice system, because of mafia influence from within, is not giving it a proper assessment. Obviously, the order to kill was given by Robert Kocharyan. But Armenia’s judicial and legal system is independent of the government, and it turns out that it can receive as much money as it wants from former oligarchs while delaying the examination of cases brought against them,” Pashinyan said.

● “Armenia is closer to the European Union than ever,” European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said at a briefing. “The first EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan was successful. There is positive cooperation under the Resilience and Growth Plan, the European Peace Facility and partnership missions. Yerevan has already taken the first step toward the EU by adopting a bill to launch the accession process, and this is an important symbolic step.”

● “Russia will take back all the gifts and preferential benefits it has given Armenia if Yerevan plays along with the West,” said Alexey Chepa, deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee. He repeated statements by other Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, that “it will be impossible for Yerevan to sit simultaneously in both the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU),” the Russian-led economic bloc. More here: Armenian expert’s commentary under the headline “Moscow’s main fear is that Armenia will choose the EU.”

● A meeting was held in Yerevan between Sargis Khandanyan, chairman of the parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee, and Alexander Vinnikov, head of NATO’s liaison office in Georgia. The sides noted significant potential for expanding cooperation between the two countries in the context of NATO. Khandanyan also presented his view of the regional security situation, including recent developments in the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

● Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kopyrkin at the ambassador’s request. The sides discussed the Armenia-Russia bilateral agenda.

● Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for their congratulatory messages on Ukraine’s Independence Day. “High-level dialogue between our two countries has now become more active. We hope this will be followed by closer cooperation at other levels and in many areas. The Armenian people are confidently moving toward closer ties with Europe, and Ukraine welcomes this choice and is ready to support it wherever possible,” Zelenskyy wrote.

● Representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan held a working meeting in Lachin, Karabakh, near the border between the two countries. They discussed possibilities for electricity imports and exports and various options for connecting the two countries’ energy infrastructure. More here about the project.

● Armenia’s economic activity grew by 6.5% in July compared with the same month last year. The sectors performed as follows:

• construction: up 26.5%
• services: up 17%
• industry: up 3.1%
• trade turnover: down 0.1%

● The National Assembly approved the draft government programme for 2026–2031, with 63 MPs voting in favor and 24 against.

📌 Former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili sent another letter from prison, saying he would refuse to participate in court proceedings over the new charges against him. He called the case political persecution and a “political masquerade.” According to the Prosecutor’s Office, witness testimony and other evidence indicate that former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze paid Garibashvili a bribe of 750,000 lari (about $290,000). Garibashvili did not attend the first hearing. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 19. More here.

📌 According to authorities in North Ossetia (Russian Federation), more than 113,000 people and over 33,000 vehicles crossed the Georgian-Russian border checkpoint in both directions last week. More than 20,000 passengers crossed the checkpoint on August 18 alone. Analysis here: “Is Georgia facing a new wave of migration from Russia?”

📌 The opposition United National Movement accused the government of allowing large numbers of Russian citizens to enter the country without proper controls and of easing the procedure for granting them citizenship. The data presented by the party does not reflect the exact number of people entering Georgia, as the official figure includes passengers travelling in both directions.

📌 Georgian bank Terrabank and the luxury Biltmore Hotel in Tbilisi confirmed that they have been sold to Arins Group, owned by Armenian businessman Karen Safaryan. Local media have linked the deal to the departure from Georgia of major UAE investor Arab Dabi Group. Analysts also suggest that Terrabank JSC — Georgia’s sixth-largest bank by assets — may have been acquired on behalf of the Russian international payment network A7, which provides international payment services to Russian businesses and is owned by pro-Russian Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor. Businessman Vano Chkhartishvili, who is close to the ruling Georgian Dream party, has been mentioned as a lobbyist for the deal. The National Bank of Georgia has not yet officially confirmed the transaction.

📌 Twenty-six people have been arrested in Tbilisi and the regions on drug-related charges, 15 of them for drug trafficking. According to the Interior Ministry, up to 33 kilograms of hashish were seized from the homes of two foreign nationals detained in Rustavi. The ministry estimated the drugs’ value at 6 million lari (about $2.3 million). Cocaine, heroin, methadone and greenhouses used to grow drug plants were also seized.

📌 Grigol Gegelia, a representative of the opposition Strong Georgia – Lelo bloc, linked growing trade between Georgia and Iran to the risk of possible US sanctions. He said trade with Iran had increased by 66%, while exports had risen sevenfold. Gegelia’s statement did not specify the period covered by the figures or the source of the information about possible US sanctions.

📌 According to the results of the national exams, 34,150 applicants have qualified to study in higher and vocational education programmes. The government announced that it will fully fund students’ tuition at public higher and vocational education institutions.

📌 Family members and relatives of Temo Khaduri, who died two years ago, held a protest outside the Prosecutor’s Office in Kutaisi. They are demanding that the case be reopened and those responsible punished. Khaduri’s mother claims her son had injuries on his body and that the possibility of murder was not properly investigated. Temo Khaduri’s body was found in the Tsachkhura riverbed in August 2024.

●  The Asian Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved the regional Border Crossing Point Modernization (BUILD) programme under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation programme. Azerbaijan and Georgia are among the countries included. The total financing amounts to $400 million, including $15 million in grants. The main goal is to reduce the time and cost of transporting goods along regional transport corridors. The project covers 11 countries: in addition to the South Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mongolia and China. The programme also plans to mobilize an additional $150 million in co-financing from the bank’s partners and specialized trust funds. The programme was approved amid a significant increase in pressure on transport corridors, including the Middle Corridor. According to monitoring data, the average time spent at road border crossings in the region more than doubled between 2010 and 2024, from 6.3 to 14.1 hours, while the processing time for rail freight increased from 22.1 to 25.5 hours.

● A bilateral working meeting was held in Lachin, Karabakh, near the Armenian border, to discuss electricity imports and exports between the two countries, as well as possible ways to connect their energy infrastructure. The Azerbaijani side was represented by officials from the Energy Ministry and state energy company Azerenerji. The Armenian delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and the Electric Power System Operator.

● Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked President Ilham Aliyev for his warm congratulations on the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. “Azerbaijan’s position on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity has always been firm, and we have therefore always highly valued it,” Zelenskyy wrote.

● British company Interocean Group has established a joint venture with Baku-based shipping company Green Line Shipping to expand its presence in Azerbaijan and the Caspian region. The venture will focus on joint projects in maritime and offshore energy services, ship management and marine insurance. Interocean Group operates in 17 countries.

● Azerbaijan is marking Lachin City Day today. The holiday was established by a presidential decree in 2023. August 26 was chosen as the date because on this day in 2022, the city was taken by the Azerbaijani army after more than 30 years of occupation by Armenian forces.

● Visa procedures for foreigners travelling to Baku to attend the Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix have been simplified. The race will take place on September 25–27.

● Azerbaijani football champions Sabah have reached the UEFA Champions League league phase for the first time in the club’s history. The match was played in Baku against Israel’s Hapoel, with the Azerbaijani team winning 3–2 in regular time.

● The Anti-Corruption Committee confirmed that a search was conducted at the home of Levon Kocharyan, son of former President Robert Kocharyan. Levon Kocharyan is an MP from the pro-Russian opposition Armenia faction. The committee said the search was part of a criminal investigation into corruption-related offenses, with searches also being carried out at dozens of other addresses. Local media also reported that the former president was taken to the National Security Service at the same time.

● Armenia will soon begin the process of officially applying for European Union membership, the prime minister said during a parliamentary discussion of the government program. Nikol Pashinyan also noted that Armenia is currently the only country with which the EU is actively negotiating visa liberalization. He said the authorities aim to achieve visa-free travel by 2029.

● Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia has no intention of resuming active participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Russian-led military alliance. “Yerevan’s interest in the organization has been exhausted, and I would be glad if Armenia were expelled from it,” Pashinyan said. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded: “Armenia can leave the CSTO if it no longer needs membership.” Later, Mikael Agasandyan, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s CIS Department, said the CSTO does not cooperate with Armenia in military, military-technical or other areas.

● Nikol Pashinyan again said Yerevan is asking Moscow to “show flexibility and sell its concession rights for the temporary management of Armenia’s railways to a third country acceptable to both Armenia and Russia.” Armenia’s railway is state-owned but has been under a 30-year Russian concession since 2008. Pashinyan said Armenia could miss a historic opportunity to integrate into the international railway network because of this. “Construction of the Kars-Nakhchivan railway has accelerated in Türkiye, and we need to understand that this is competition for the route to Türkiye through Armenia — the Yeraskh-Akhurik railway. We must bring this railway to a competitive position as soon as possible and ensure high-quality services and reasonable freight rates,” the prime minister said.

● Narek Karapetyan, head of the parliamentary faction of the pro-Russian opposition Strong Armenia bloc, described the formation of structures in the newly elected parliament and the appointment of standing committee chairs as involving “gross violations.” He said the opposition plans to appeal to the Constitutional Court. Karapetyan also criticized the government’s five-year program. “It contains a huge number of deep-rooted problems, and we intend to consistently oppose these steps,” he said.

● Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Ukraine’s Independence Day. “Armenia firmly supports the establishment of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and is ready to continue providing humanitarian assistance,” the statement said.

● Armenia’s Foreign Ministry also issued a separate message. “Armenia attaches great importance to strengthening ties with Ukraine and will continue working to develop political dialogue, expand sectoral cooperation and strengthen people-to-people contacts,” it said.

● Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev made insulting remarks when asked how Moscow should deal with the Armenian authorities. “There is no need to cast pearls before swine,” Medvedev said. “Obviously, Armenia will never join the European Union, which suffers from serious chronic diseases, but it will seriously damage its relations with Russia and other Eurasian Economic Union countries — that will be the price of the current ruler of this small country’s schizophrenic ambitions, mixed with betrayal of national interests, Soros money and the satanic persecution of the Armenian Apostolic Church,” Medvedev said.

●  Defense Minister Suren Papikyan spoke in parliament about several recent cases of servicemen dying by suicide or being killed at military units. “Throughout the history of the Armenian army, there have always been cases of suicide, murder and hazing; they have increased and decreased over time. For example, in 2025, as a result of our work, there were only two such cases. This is a challenge that does not concern me alone. Regardless of whether I or someone else is defense minister, this situation requires a systemic approach,” Papikyan said.

● Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said Moscow is ready to begin a constructive dialogue with Armenia on phytosanitary controls. After Armenia’s authorities announced a course toward European integration, Russia imposed a ban on imports of almost all Armenian agricultural products. This dealt a serious blow to Armenian farmers, as the Russian market has historically been their main market. “The issue is not whether Armenia will ‘come to its senses’ or not regarding its foreign policy course; sanitary requirements must be met. Unfortunately, there are problems on the Armenian side, and we are in dialogue,” Overchuk said. He noted that “the problem is not the low quality of Armenian products, but the presence of pests and diseases.”

● National Assembly Speaker Ruben Rubinyan held separate meetings with US Chargé d’Affaires in Armenia David Allen and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kopyrkin. They discussed interparliamentary cooperation. During the meeting with Kopyrkin, the sides reportedly discussed the need for joint efforts to effectively address a wide range of issues.

● Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Kazakhstan’s president during a phone call on the successful parliamentary elections. The prime minister said the convincing election results confirmed broad public support in Kazakhstan for the reform agenda pursued by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

● Russian grain shipments to Armenia by rail through Azerbaijan have become stable, and Russia may halt truck shipments from Krasnodar Krai to Armenia through Georgia. This is according to a report by Georgia’s Transportation Research and Reform Center (TRRC), cited by local media. Georgian experts believe Russia’s strategy is to divert part of its freight flows to rail, thereby reducing pressure on the strategically important Upper Lars border crossing with Georgia, the report says.

● Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov highlighted the significance of bilateral documents signed during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Uzbekistan. In particular, an agreement signed following the interregional forum aims to increase trade between the two countries to $1 billion. Jabbarov also emphasized the importance of projects involving Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and AzerGold in Uzbekistan.

● Baku Court of Appeal upheld the eight-year prison sentence handed down to Rufat Safarov, director of the human rights organization Line of Defense. None of his appeals were granted. He was arrested in December 2024 on charges of fraud and intentionally causing bodily harm. Safarov denies the charges and calls the case politically motivated. He was detained shortly before flying to the United States, where he was due to receive a State Department award on International Human Rights Day.

● Azerbaijan will continue providing humanitarian support to the friendly people of Ukraine, President Ilham Aliyev said in a congratulatory message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “I am confident that, in the interests of our two peoples, we will continue making joint efforts to strengthen Azerbaijani-Ukrainian ties,” the letter said.

● Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev the Order of Merit, Third Class, for his significant personal contribution to strengthening interstate cooperation and supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

● The Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku was illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day.

● Azerbaijan’s exports to the United Kingdom increased 16-fold over the past year, reaching $3.476 billion. At the same time, imports from the UK fell by 73.5% to $177.1 million. Trade with the UK accounted for 12.5% of Azerbaijan’s total foreign trade.

Photo by Zulfugar Karimov

● The Prosecutor’s Office has brought a new charge of accepting a particularly large bribe against former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who is already in prison. According to investigators, in 2022 Garibashvili received 750,000 lari (about $290,000) in connection with three secret procurement deals for the Defense Ministry, causing nearly 7 million lari (about $2.6 million) in damage to the state. According to his lawyer, Garibashvili has not signed the indictment, denies the charges and considers the case political persecution. Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said Garibashvili knew about the investigation in advance and therefore tried to politicize the legal case through letters circulated from prison accusing the authorities of persecution. More here.

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, President Mikheil Kavelashvili and former President Salome Zourabichvili congratulated Ukraine on its Independence Day. Georgia’s First Lady Tamar Bagrationi attended the sixth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv.

● To mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, the TV tower in Tbilisi was illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Dozens of people took part in a march in support of Ukraine.

● Land plots belonging to citizens in three villages in Zugdidi municipality will be expropriated to build a road and railway connecting the deep-sea port of Anaklia. A total of 12,222 square meters of land will be expropriated. The Roads Department has been granted the right to carry out the expropriations. The land will be seized despite the department’s failure to reach agreements with several owners, as the project has been declared an urgent public necessity.

● According to Poland’s Interior Ministry, Georgian citizens ranked second among foreigners deported from the country in the first half of 2026, after Ukrainians. The exact number was not provided. Some 6,000 foreigners were deported from Poland in January-June, while the number of work visas issued to foreigners fell from 144,000 to 69,000. Poland is also considering an initiative to establish a dedicated deportation agency.

● In July, 1,024,583 people in Georgia received salaries, 15,543 more than in July last year. The largest group, 323,426 people, earned between 1,200 lari (about $460) and 2,400 lari (about $900) per month. Some 8,464 people earned less than 100 lari (about $40), while 425 people earned 100,000 lari (about $38,000) or more. The total annual taxable income increased from 2.86 billion to 3.17 billion lari.

● Education Minister Givi Mikanadze said parents are not required to buy school uniforms from the supplier designated by the ministry. They can purchase uniforms elsewhere or have them made, but they must comply with the design, fabric and other criteria set by regulation. First-graders will begin wearing the new uniforms on September 15, with the requirement extending to grades 1–6 by the end of the year. Ketevan Turazashvili, a member of the opposition Lelo – Strong Georgia party, criticized the initiative for being introduced without consulting parents.

● The Prosecutor’s Office has charged a man with labor exploitation and human trafficking. According to investigators, the father forced his two minor children to beg every day, set a target amount they had to collect and took all the money they earned. He allegedly also subjected them to physical violence. The offense carries a prison sentence of up to 17 years, and prosecutors are seeking detention as a preventive measure.

● President Ilham Aliyev made a state visit to Uzbekistan over the weekend. Pro-government media described it as a “new, symbolic and practical stage” in relations between the two countries. Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a one-on-one meeting and chaired the third meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council. They signed a “Treaty of Eternal Friendship,” awarded each other the countries’ highest state orders, and attended ceremonies to inaugurate and lay the foundations for Azerbaijani investment projects in Uzbekistan.

●  During his visit to Tashkent, Ilham Aliyev announced that Azerbaijan plans to invest $5 billion in Uzbekistan’s tourism sector. Analysts, meanwhile, note a significant increase in the activity of Azerbaijani companies directly or indirectly linked to Aliyev’s family in the Uzbek market, including PASHA Holding and the Sea Breeze project of the president’s former son-in-law Emin Agalarov. More here 

● Ilham Aliyev: “Uzbekistan has accumulated extensive experience in the automotive industry and is sharing this experience with Azerbaijan. The first project has already been implemented, and now we are talking about a full production cycle. More than $80 million in investment is planned in Hajigabul, Azerbaijan, where a second plant is being built, which will essentially give a major boost to the country’s automotive industry.”

● At a joint press conference, Ilham Aliyev said that “Uzbekistan is the first country to have helped Azerbaijan rebuild Karabakh after its liberation from occupation by Armenian forces.”

● Ilham Aliyev invited Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to make a state visit to Azerbaijan.

● Akif Gurbanov, head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, and journalist Farid Ismayilov, who were arrested in the “Toplum TV case,” have also been placed in solitary confinement. Earlier, activists Ruslan Izzetli and Ali Zeynal, who are also defendants in the case, were reportedly placed in solitary confinement. The information was shared by relatives of the detainees. Izzetli is reportedly suffering from serious health problems.

Arrests in the “Toplum TV case” began in March 2024. The initial charges were related to smuggling and were later toughened. All the activists and journalists deny any wrongdoing and say their arrests were politically motivated. On July 27 this year, the defendants were sentenced. Akif Gurbanov, head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, and board co-founder Ruslan Izzetli were sentenced to 15 years in prison. Toplum TV co-founder Alasgar Mammadli and activist Ali Zeynal received 14-year sentences. Institute for Democratic Initiatives staff members Ramil Babayev and Ilkin Amrahov, and Toplum TV video editor Mushfig Jabbar were sentenced to 13 years. Journalists Farid Ismayilov and Elmir Abbasov received sentences of 11 years, 11 months and 28 days.

The court also ordered the confiscation of their cars and apartments.

● For the first time in Azerbaijan, cryptocurrency has been confiscated in favor of the state. A trial has concluded against two people arrested by the State Security Service. The court found them guilty of illegally transferring large sums of money out of Azerbaijan or into the country. They were sentenced to two and a half and three years in prison, respectively, and fined heavily: one must pay more than 3 million manats (about $1.8 million), while the other was fined nearly 32 million manats (about $18.8 million). The state also confiscated 830 units of cryptocurrency held in an account with the international virtual-asset platform Binance.

Özbəkistanın tanınmış sənətçisi Akilbek Piyazovun repertuarında dahi Azərbaycan bəstəkarı və müğənnisi Müslim Maqomayevin “Синяя вечность” adlı möhtəşəm əsəri. pic.twitter.com/LkUv2C8CJ7

— Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) August 23, 2026

● Another pro-European “Saturday March” was held in central Tbilisi. It was dedicated to Georgian citizens who have left the country in search of work and due to a lack of prospects. Participants said the growing emigration is driven by the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which they say have pushed the country away from the European integration path enshrined in the Constitution. Many blame the party’s founder and honorary chairman, oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, personally. “When the state serves Ivanishvili, villages and cities become deserted” was the main message of the march, reflected in the slogans and speeches. Organizers said the traditional Saturday marches throughout September would be dedicated to supporting Georgian emigrants. Here is the JAMnews video podcast “Protests in Georgia.”

● Georgia and Uzbekistan have launched a digital permit system for international road freight transport. Carriers will be able to obtain and use permits entirely electronically. Georgia already has similar systems with Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Kazakhstan. According to the Land Transport Agency, the new mechanism will reduce administrative barriers and facilitate the movement of goods along the Middle Corridor.

● Around 286,000 trucks have passed through Georgia’s transport corridor since the beginning of the year, about 9,200 more than during the same period last year. Freight transport generated 100.2 million lari (about $40 million) in budget revenue, up 3.2 million lari (about $1.5 million) year-on-year.

● In the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia), four candidates have been announced for the early “presidential election” on September 18: Marat Kambolov, a representative of the Russian authorities who is currently serving as “president,” as well as Zurab Kokoev, Murat Valiev and Kazbek Kodoev. A fifth candidate, Khokhu Chochiev, was denied registration due to discrepancies in his documents and collected signatures.

● The bodies of three sisters were found in a residential house in the village of Kulishkari, Zugdidi municipality. According to a local administration representative, the women lived alone and had not been seen in public for four to five days. The cause of death has not yet been established. An investigation has been launched, with experts testing food and water samples as poisoning is being considered as one possible cause.

● A 67-year-old man was found dead in Imereti. He was reportedly suspected of possible sexual harassment of an 11-year-old girl. According to available information, the man had communicated with the minor by phone, and the child told her parents about it. The family handed evidence over to the Interior Ministry. An investigation is underway.

●  The family of a 21-year-old Russian citizen who died in Batumi on August 15 is demanding that he be recognized as a victim and that the charge under which the investigation was opened be changed. The case is currently being investigated as incitement to suicide. The family believes other people may have been involved in his death. According to the lawyer, an initial examination found no signs of violence; the final expert report is still pending.

● Pro-Russian opposition groups criticized the authorities on the 36th anniversary of Armenia’s Declaration of Independence, adopted on August 23, 1990. The declaration remains at the center of public debate because Azerbaijan refuses to sign a peace agreement with Armenia over a reference to it in Armenia’s current Constitution. The declaration calls for the reunification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, and Azerbaijan considers this a territorial claim. Baku has long insisted that a peace agreement can be signed only if Armenia removes the reference from its Constitution. Armenian authorities have repeatedly said that constitutional changes are needed for Armenia itself and that the issue has never been discussed with anyone outside the country. A draft of the new Constitution is expected to be published in the coming weeks for nationwide public debate.

The Strong Armenia party said: “The Declaration of Independence is a cornerstone of statehood and a historical legacy that stands above the political agenda pursued by the authorities of the day.”

The Dashnaktsutyun party said: “Remaining faithful to the idea of independence, we must find the strength to reject an anti-national government and reaffirm our desire to live freely and our determination to build an independent, sovereign, democratic, social and law-based state.”

The declaration was read out at a parliamentary session by a young MP named Aram Manukyan, after the founder of the First Republic of Armenia. He said that “the Armenian people welcomed the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with the greatest happiness and a sense of pride. Neither Nikol Pashinyan nor any other Bolshevik will be able to tarnish or consign to oblivion the birth certificate of our country.”

● Russia’s Foreign Ministry has again expressed its interest in maintaining control over Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant, the backbone of the country’s energy security. The plant was built and operates with the involvement of Russian specialists, while its nuclear fuel is also supplied by Russia. The plant’s operating license expired this year, but the Armenian government extended it for another 10 years. During this period, the existing plant must either be upgraded or a new one built. In February, during US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Armenia, the two countries signed an agreement on cooperation in civilian nuclear energy. Washington was reportedly offering Armenia $9 billion in investment for fuel, maintenance and the possible construction of a new nuclear plant. Russia, however, wants to retain its role in Armenia’s nuclear energy sector.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called claims that the Metsamor plant poses a security threat to the region “destructive.” “We see such claims as attempts to sow division in Russian-Armenian cooperation and obstruct initiatives involving Russia. Such statements promote Western projects and technologies that are genuinely destructive for the region and significantly inferior to Russian ones, including in terms of safety,” Zakharova said.

● The body of serviceman Edgar Gevorgyan was found at a military base with a gunshot wound. According to the Defense Ministry’s press service, a suspect in the killing has been detained.

● A police officer who beat two investigators, along with two of his relatives, has been arrested, the Investigative Committee’s press service reported. The incident reportedly involved a police officer who was under the influence of alcohol and around 20 people connected to him through friendship or family ties.

● Armenia’s Interior Ministry reported a tragic incident in Yerevan: a 53-year-old Russian citizen died by suicide after jumping from the window of his seventh-floor apartment.

● Three flights were canceled and another 12 delayed at Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport on Sunday. No reason was given.

● The Varchafest 2026 summer youth music festival has opened on the shores of Lake Sevan. The festival aims to support young musical groups and promote the tradition of live music. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the festival site over the weekend and toured the pavilions.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 17-21 August, 2026