Alleged member of Basayev and Khattab detachments sentenced to 20 years

The Southern District Military Court sentenced Roman Gakaev to 20 years in a strict regime colony (together with the verdict of the Supreme Court of Chechnya).

According to investigators, Gakaev, as part of the detachments of field commanders Shamil Basayev and Khattab, took part in hostilities against federal troops in the area of the Chechen village of Chervlennaya in 1999. As a result, 15 people died and 28 were injured.

Recently, another alleged member of the aforementioned groups was detained. In the city of Mineralnye Vody, a resident of the Stavropol Territory was detained. He was accused of attacking Dagestan in 1999 as part of the Basayev and Khattab detachments.

Последние новости
Russia urged to prosecute those who ordered Anna Politkovskaya’s murder
Human rights
Russia urged to prosecute those who ordered Anna Politkovskaya’s murder
7 October 2026

On the 20th anniversary of the murder of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya, representatives of 32 countries called on the Russian authorities to identify everyone involved in the crime and end pressure on independent media.

The statement was issued by the Media Freedom Coalition. It was signed by representatives of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Ukraine, Australia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Chile, Japan, Spain and other countries.

Aliyev: Armenia Must Reveal the Fates of Missing Azerbaijanis
Politics
Aliyev: Armenia Must Reveal the Fates of Missing Azerbaijanis
7 October 2026

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev considers determining the fates of missing persons to be one of the state's most important issues. He stated this in an address to participants of the 4th International Conference on Missing Persons, currently taking place in Baku.

20th Anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya’s Murder: The Person Who Ordered the Crime Remains Unidentified
Human rights
20th Anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya’s Murder: The Person Who Ordered the Crime Remains Unidentified
7 October 2026

October 7 marks the 20th anniversary of the murder of *Novaya Gazeta* journalist Anna Politkovskaya. While the courts have identified the perpetrators and organizers of the crime, the person who ordered the killing has never been named. The statute of limitations for the case expired in 2021—fifteen years after the murder took place.

Saakashvili calls for closing Georgia's border with Russia over plague reports
Politics
Saakashvili calls for closing Georgia's border with Russia over plague reports
7 October 2026

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has urged the country's authorities to close the border with Russia and ban Russian citizens from entering. He outlined his position on Facebook from custody, commenting on reports regarding the death of an employee at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute.