Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of August 1-7, 2022

Persecution of pacifists in the southern regions of Russia; escalation in the Karabakh conflict zone; FSB’s report on the prevention of a terror act in Karachay-Cherkessia; cancellation of the decision of the Stavropol Territory Governor on permission of construction on Mashuk Mount, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of August 1-7, 2022, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Persecution of pacifists in southern regions of Russia

In Southern Russia, the persecution of residents who oppose the special military operation in Ukraine and related events continues. So, on August 1, a court sentenced a resident of Vladikavkaz to a fine of 30,000 roubles, recognizing his posts on a social media outlet as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, the police reported. On August 2, human rights defenders reported that in Taganrog, a court fined local resident Olga Pogribnichenko 30,000 roubles for participating in a pacifist picket. Olga Pogribnichenko challenged the fine. On the same day, it became known about the decision pronounced by a court in Krasnodar in a case against local resident Sergey Shishakov, who was also accused of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces after a pacifist picket, he was fined 30,000 roubles. On August 3, human rights defenders reported that in the Volgograd Region, a court imposed a fine of 30,000 roubles on local resident Dmitry Yevseev, recognizing his post on a social media outlet as undermining confidence in the conduct of the special military operation in Ukraine. On the same day, it became known that the Shpakovsky District Court of the Stavropol Territory fined local resident Sergey Malykhin 40,000 roubles for holding a picket with pacifist slogans. On August 6, human rights defenders reported that a court fined Sergey Shibanov, a resident of the Stavropol Territory, 40,000 roubles, finding him guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces by posting an image from a pacifist inscription on the “Kontakte” social media outlet. Sergey Shibanov refused to admit his guilt. Earlier, Sergey Shibanov was fined under the article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces for damaging in Kislovodsk a stele and banners with symbols of the special military operation in Ukraine.

In addition, on August 3, spouses Daria Andreeva and Ilya Nikonorov from Georgievsk, who were fined under the article on discrediting the Russian Armed forces, informed the “Caucasian Knot” that they had to leave Russia because of pressure from the law enforcement bodies. The activists were subjected to pressure for posting leaflets with pacifist statements.

Escalation in Karabakh conflict zone

On August 3, Azerbaijan announced the conduct of the “Retribution” operation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The operation was provoked by a death of an Azerbaijani soldier as a result of a shelling attack from the Armenian side. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Azerbaijan also reported about the occupation of the dominant heights by the Azerbaijani army. Official Baku demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Armenian troops from Nagorno-Karabakh and threatened “even more destructive countermeasures” in case of provocations on the line of contact. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, as a result of armed clashes on August 3, two Karabakh militaries were killed, and 14 others were injured. On August 3, the Ministry for Public Health of Armenia reported that 19 militaries were wounded. On August 5, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh reported about new shelling attacks.

The Azerbaijani troops occupied the Sarybaba height in the Shusha District and the Gyrkhgyz height in the Khodjaly District. That provided Azerbaijan with a strategic advantage, additional control over the Lachin corridor, and the ability to prevent a possible transfer of troops from Armenia to Karabakh and set up a checkpoint right on the road from Armenia to Karabakh, Azerbaijani military experts interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot” noted on August 5. On August 6, Azerbaijan announced the capture of the Buzukh height.

The authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh called on the world community to respond to the Baku’s actions. In response to the statement of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), which accused Azerbaijan of violating the trilateral ceasefire agreement, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the reason for the aggravation of the situation was the failure of the Armenian side to comply with the clause of the agreement on the withdrawal of troops.

FSB’s report on prevention of a terror act in Karachay-Cherkessia

On August 5, the Russian FSB announced the detention in Cherkessk of a local resident, who, according to the law enforcement body’s information, was plotting a terror act. During a search at the suspect’s residence place, law enforcers discovered a hiding with two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with a capacity of about 3 kg of TNT each, components for the manufacture of IEDs, schemes of approaches to the buildings of the prosecutor’s office and the military registration and enlistment office, and correspondence with members of the “Right Sector”*, the FSB reported. The man was arrested for two months. The FSB released a video of the interrogation, in which the detainee admitted his guilt.

Cancellation of decision of Stavropol Territory Governor on permission of construction on Mashuk Mount

On August 4, Vladimir Vladimirov, Governor of the Stavropol Territory, cancelled the resolution he signed on July 7, according to which construction was allowed on Mount Mashuk. The cancellation of the Stavropol Territory Governor’s decision was preceded by the demands of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Russia and the protests of local ecologists. Among the activist protesting against the construction on Mashuk Mount was pensioner Valentina Velichkina, who arrived in Moscow to hand over to the Russian President and the General Prosecutor a complaint about the actions of the Governor of the Stavropol Territory. Valentina Velichkina went to a picket on Manezhnaya Square. Despite the cancellation of the Stavropol government’s resolution, this is most likely not the last attempt by the regional authorities to implement the construction on Mashuk Mount, given the support of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, local environmental activists note.

*In the Russian Federation, the “Right Sector” is recognized as an extremist organization, and its activities are prohibited.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 8, 2022 at 09:40 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.