Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized Brussels' demands to join sanctions against Russia. He said these calls were inappropriate, given that the EU itself is a major importer of Russian products.

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.

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.

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.