Latest Articles about The Caucasus
Isa Yamadaev Says Hit Squads Have Order to Kill Him Before New Year’s
Isa Yamadaev – the younger brother of former Vostok battalion commander, who was shot dead in Dubai in March, and of State Duma deputy Ruslan Yamadaev, who was shot dead in Moscow in September 2008– has asked the Russian head of state for protection after... MORE
Insurgents Carry Out a Series of Attacks in Kabardino-Balkaria
The Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria this week has been the target of a series of attacks apparently carried out by insurgents. On the evening of November 17, an electric power substation in the Adyl-Su Gorge in Kabardino-Balkaria’s Elbrusk district was blown up. Later that same evening,... MORE
Moscow Excises “Separatist” Articles from Constitutions of Circassian Republics
The parliament of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria has ratified changes in the republican constitution at the request of the Russian Prosecutor-General. Final agreement was reached on November 10 after prolonged debates followed by two unsuccessful attempts to vote on the issue (Gazeta Yuga, November 12).The... MORE
Azerbaijan Accelerates Gas Export Diversification Efforts
Gas production in Azerbaijan is set to reach 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) annually by 2013 from currently operating fields (Trend Capital, November 13). Over and above that level, the second phase of production at the Shah Deniz field is projected to add another 16... MORE
Azerbaijan Seeks Alternative Gas Export Routes: Sending a Signal to Ankara
“We are interested in exporting our resources through different routes,” Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev stated during his visit to Bulgaria on November 13 (AZTV). On the same day, he paid a short working visit to Sofia to meet his counterpart Georgi Parvanov and to sign... MORE
Georgia Considers Opening its Border with Russia
On November 13, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili convened yet another session of his country’s National Security Council (NSC) with the participation of major parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition parties. Boycotted by radical politicians, but highly appreciated by moderates, as a mechanism to conduct dialogue with the... MORE
No Confirmation of Kadyrov’s Claim that Umarov May Have Been Killed
Unidentified gunmen shot up the home of a policeman in Ingushetia yesterday (November 15) evening. The incident took place in the city of Nazran when the attackers opened fire on the home of Magomed Yevloev, a State Automobile Inspectorate (GAI) officer, with automatic rifles and... MORE
Azerbaijan Considers Georgia-Black Sea-Bulgaria Route for Compressed Natural Gas to Europe
On November 13 in Sofia, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and his Bulgarian counterpart Giorgi Purvanov witnessed the signing of agreements of intent on the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria and onward to Europe. The agreements’ centerpiece concerns transportation of compressed natural gas (CNG) from... MORE
Ingushetia’s President Loses his Luster in his First Year in Office
October 31 marked exactly a year since Yunus-bek Yevkurov was appointed as President of Ingushetia. Yevkurov replaced Murat Zyazikov, who was removed by Moscow (www.ingushetia.kavkaz-uzel.ru, October 31, 2008). The change of leadership in this small North Caucasus republic took place after it became impossible to... MORE
North Caucasus’ Ethnic Russian Population Shrinks as Indigenous Populations Grow
On November 3, Dagestani President Mukhu Aliev held a special meeting of the commission dedicated to the problems of ethnic Russians living in the republic. Despite the optimistic tone of the officials, it appears that ethnic Russians are still leaving Dagestan, although in fewer numbers... MORE