"Free Circassia" added to the list of "extremist and terrorist" organizations
Rosfinmonitoring added 174 organizations to the "list of terrorists and extremists", including "Free Circassia". In addition, the list included decolonial movements fighting on the side of Ukraine - "Republic of Koenigsberg" and "Taganrog Republic".
 
In 2024, the Kabardino-Balkarian court received an administrative case against the leader of the association "Free Circassia" Ibragim Yaganov. He was accused of violating the law on the activities of "foreign agents".
 
Earlier, Yaganov and other leaders of several organizations of the Circassian diaspora outside of Russia published a joint statement in support of Ukraine. They condemned the invasion and called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian armed forces. They also appealed to the Circassians living in Russia with a request to refrain from participating in the hostilities.
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Ruben Vardanyan Drops Appeal Against 20-Year Sentence in Azerbaijan
Human rights
Ruben Vardanyan Drops Appeal Against 20-Year Sentence in Azerbaijan
25 February 2026

Billionaire and former Nagorno-Karabakh state minister Ruben Vardanyan, sentenced in Baku to 20 years in prison, rejected the legal force of the ruling and dropped his appeal. His family explained that this decision stemmed from the fact that, in their view, the trial was a "staged performance" rather than a proper trial: the hearings were held behind closed doors, without access to independent observers, and the prosecution's motions were ignored. The full text of the verdict was also not released.

Azerbaijani political prisoners appeal to the European Commission to address human rights in the country
Human rights
Azerbaijani political prisoners appeal to the European Commission to address human rights in the country
25 February 2026

A group of imprisoned activists and journalists from Baku's Penal Colony No. 2 has appealed to the President of the European Commission. They demand the implementation of European Parliament resolutions calling for the release of Azerbaijani political prisoners.

Chechnya Leads in Lowest Alcohol Sales
Economy
Chechnya Leads in Lowest Alcohol Sales
25 February 2026

In 2025, residents of the North Caucasus regions consumed the least amount of hard liquor in Russia. The lowest official retail sales figures were recorded in Chechnya (0.01 liters per capita). Other republics of the North Caucasus Federal District also demonstrated modest figures: Ingushetia - 0.7 liters, Dagestan - 2.2 liters, Kabardino-Balkaria - 2.6 liters, North Ossetia - 3 liters, and Karachay-Cherkessia - 3.4 liters. Experts attribute this decline to the prevalence of cultural and religious restrictions, as well as a preference for low-alcohol beverages.

A rally against the Russian government and the war took place in Armenia
Politics
A rally against the Russian government and the war took place in Armenia
25 February 2026

An anti-war rally took place in Yerevan in front of the Russian Embassy. Participants unfurled banners reading "Putinism is evil. No to war," "Putin to The Hague," "Russians against war," as well as Ukrainian and white-blue-white flags.