Authorities in Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Russia’s Volgograd region have announced the deaths of ten more service members who fought in Ukraine. Following these announcements, the number of officially confirmed military deaths from Russia’s North Caucasus and southern regions has surpassed 9,500.

The US Embassy in Georgia has criticized the creation of a new Interior Ministry unit tasked with combating so-called online hate speech. The statement was issued in response to a query from the Georgian service of Radio Liberty regarding the detention of journalist Vakho Sanaia.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia’s Chechen Republic, has dismissed reports of a possible food shortage in the region, describing them as false.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has sharply criticized a recent statement regarding Karabakh made by Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry. Baku noted that her remarks contradict the position that—according to the Azerbaijani side—Russia has maintained for many years.

Armenia’s rental market is showing signs that echo the developments of 2022, according to reporting by the independent Russian outlet Verstka.

A court in Azerbaijan has handed down sentences to nine staff members of Toplum TV, an independent outlet known for its investigations into corruption and coverage of social issues in the country. The harshest penalties were imposed on the project's co-founders, Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzetli, who were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree increasing the authorized strength of the country’s Armed Forces. Effective August 1, the military’s total authorized personnel will rise to 2,426,130, including 1,535,000 service members.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation today at the initiative of the Armenian side. A key topic of discussion was the difficulties surrounding the supply of Armenian products to the Russian market.

Georgian MMA fighter Giorgi Kartvelishvili has announced the creation of a civic movement dedicated, he says, to defending Georgian traditions, culture, and national identity. The athlete spoke about the new initiative at a press conference held at the offices of the Georgian Federation of Journalists.

In June, prices in Chechnya rose faster than in the previous month. According to the regional branch of the Bank of Russia, the average cost of goods and services in the republic increased by 2% over the month.