Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of June 19-25, 2023

“Wagner” PMC in Rostov-on-Don, Kadyrov’s reaction to Prigozhin’s march, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, release of Gvaramiya in Georgia, blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of June 19-25, 2023, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

“Wagner” PMC in Rostov-on-Don

On June 23, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the “Wagner” Private Military Company (PMC), accused the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) of shelling the rear positions of the “Wagner” PMC and promised to “sort it out.” Soon, armoured personnel carriers appeared in Rostov-on-Don near the headquarters building of the Southern Military District. Yevgeny Prigozhin was charged with incitement to armed rebellion.

On June 24, Yevgeny Prigozhin declared that fighters of the “Wagner” PMC took control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don. Earlier, an explosion was heard near the headquarters of the Southern Military District, occupied by the fighters of the “Wagner” PMC. In the evening of the same day, it became known that after the negotiations between Yevgeny Prigozhin and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, the fighters of the “Wagner” PMC left for their field camps.

Kadyrov’s reaction to Prigozhin’s march

The leader of Chechnya did not speak out publicly until an address had been voiced by Vladimir Putin. On June 24, on his Telegram channel, Ramzan Kadyrov called the demarche of Yevgeny Prigozhin and participants in the rebellion “a knife in the back.” The leader of Chechnya added that such actions could lead to bloody consequences and called for rallying around President Putin.

On June 25, the “Akhmat” special forces units sent to the Rostov Region received an order to return to the special military operation zone in Ukraine. According to Ramzan Kadyrov, the reason for the rebellion of Yevgeny Prigozhin was his ambition and resentment due to his unsuccessful business deals.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

On June 21, in Sochi, law enforcers detained activist Marina Melikhova in a criminal case on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, and her apartment was searched. In 2022, Marina Melikhova was fined several times under the administrative article on discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.

In Southern Russia, courts continued to fine residents of the regions for criticizing the special military operation or supporting Ukraine. On June 25, it became known that the Dinskoy District Court in the Krasnodar Territory recognized resending videos of prisoners of war (POWs) in a messenger as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and fined Nikolai Ivanov. Activist Alipat Sultanbegova was found guilty and fined by a court in Krasnodar.

In Astrakhan, a court fined a local woman. Rail Aimishev was also fined by court for running several YouTube channels allegedly discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. Artur Kheteev, a resident of Vladikavkaz, was also fined.

Release of Gvaramiya in Georgia

On June 22, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili announced that she had pardoned Nika Gvaramiya, the director of the “Mtavari Arkhi” TV Company, who had been sentenced to three years and six months of imprisonment. On the same day, Nika Gvaramiya was released. His pardon was predictable and confirms the Georgia’s course towards the European integration. However, the country’s president has not explained why she made such a decision.

The Salome Zurabishvili’s decision has been made after the European Commission had published an assessment of the Georgia’s actions to implement 12 recommendations for obtaining EU candidate status and is associated with the desire of the Georgian authorities to demonstrate progress on the mentioned issue. The failure of the Georgian authorities to fulfil all the European Commission’s recommendations is connected with the processes within the country, Georgian analysts believe.

Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh

On June 15, the government of Nagorno-Karabakh announced that Azerbaijan had banned all humanitarian passenger and freight traffic through the Lachin Corridor. On June 23, the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh reported that the day before, Azerbaijan had blocked the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. According to the unrecognized republic’s Ministry for Public Health, 190 seriously ill patients have no possibility to travel to Armenia for medical treatment. On June 25, after a 10-day suspension of humanitarian traffic along the Lachin Corridor, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) transported 15 patients from Stepanakert to Armenia.

The Lachin Corridor had been blocked since December 12, 2022 by Azerbaijani picketers, who demanded from Russian peacekeepers to provide them with access to the mining deposits for monitoring. The picketers let cars of the peacekeepers and the ICRC pass. On April 28, on the 138th day of the blockade, the activists suspended their action, after which Azerbaijani law enforcers took control of the road. On April 23, an Azerbaijani border checkpoint was installed at the entrance to the Lachin Corridor. After that, the ICRC suspended the transportation of patients from Stepanakert to medical centres in Armenia and the delivery of humanitarian supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh. On May 17, the International Committee of the Red Cross resumed the transportation of humanitarian supplies along the Lachin Corridor. Stepanakert considers the new checkpoint an integral part of the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.

As of June 25, in more than half of all the communities of the unrecognized republic, water is supplied to residents for two hours a day, the information headquarters of the government of Nagorno-Karabakh reports. After 10 days of the full blockade, the problem of water supply has been already faced by more than 100 communities, in which a little less than half of residents of the unrecognized republic live.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

Salman Magomedov perished during the special military operation in Ukraine. A memorial plaque was installed in his honour in the village of Zanata in the Shamilsky District, the administration of the Shamilsky District reported on its Telegram channel. A memorial plate was installed in honour of Kamil Makasharipov on a wall of the house where he lived, the administration of the Soviet District reported on the “VKontakte” social network. Ali Tsinpaev also perished in the special military operation. In his honour, a memorial plate was installed on a wall of the school in the village of Khosrekh in the Kulinsky District, the administration of the Kulinsky District reported on its Telegram channel. The information about at least 541 residents of Dagestan perished in the special military operation has been officially confirmed. In total, by June 25, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 2131 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 1147 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 984 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Volgograd Region, the authorities reported about 392 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Rostov Region – 235, in North Ossetia – 190, in the Stavropol Territory – 157, in the Krasnodar Territory – 152, in the Astrakhan Region – 151, in Chechnya – 102, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 96, in Ingushetia – 38, in Adygea – 30, in Kalmykia – 24, and in Karachay-Cherkessia – 21.