Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of August 12-18

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Azerbaijan; attempt on one of the defendants in Anna Politkovskaya's murder case in Moscow; Volgograd native Yelena Isinbayeva wins at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow, – look these and other events in the Caucasus in the review of the week of August 12-18, 2013, prepared by the "Caucasian Knot".

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes an official visit to Azerbaijan

On August 13, the Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Azerbaijan, accompanied by a large governmental delegation and heads of the oil companies "Rosneft" and "LUKoil". This was the first Putin's official visit to Transcaucasia after his election as Russian President in March last year. During the visit, the parties discussed the issues of Karabakh settlement and military-technical cooperation. Following the talks, six agreements were signed, including the cooperation agreement of the Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) "Rosneft" and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and a document that stipulates the basic terms of oil supplies between these companies. The signed documents have put a good basis for long-term partnership; however, so far they are just declarations of intent, as stated by independent experts.

It should be noted here that the Putin's visit to Baku took place at the background of the incident with detention in August in Dagestan of the Azerbaijani tanker "Naftalan", which was travelling from Makhachkala to Azerbaijan carrying, according to the FSB, a contraband cargo of oil. Also, on the eve of the Putin's visit to Baku, the Lezgin Federal National-Cultural Autonomy (FLNCA) released a statement about the detention in Azerbaijan of relatives of its leaders and harassment by the authorities of Azerbaijan of national minorities.

Politkovskaya's murder case: advocate of a defendant states attempt on his client

In the evening on August 14, an assassination attempt was committed against Djabrail Makhmudov, a native of Chechnya and one of the defendants in the murder case of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya. This was reported by his advocate Murad Musaev. Makhmudov was operated on; and possibly he has his leg nerves cut. Doctors estimate his condition as satisfactory. According to Musaev, Makhmudov's injury will have no serious consequences; and in a week he will be able to come to court on crutches. The lawyer also opposed the intention of the court to isolate Makhmudov's case into separate proceeding, because, in his opinion, this could affect the objectivity of the trial. The Moscow police have reported that they check whether the attempt on Makhmudov could be stages.

Astrakhan Region: two conscripts perish at Ashuluk Range

On August 14, in the Ashuluk Range, located in the Astrakhan Region, while cleaning the territory of ammunition, an unidentified explosive device blew up and killed conscripts Andrei Leonov and Dmitry Reshetov. In this context, a criminal case was opened. The killed soldiers were not prepared for the work they were ordered to do, human rights activists assert and note that this was not the first case of soldiers' death at the range: in 2011, there was a whole series of soldiers deaths; as calculated by the "Caucasian Knot", within 44 days – from August 23 to October 5, 2011, 12 soldiers were lost, including during disposing ammunition.

KBR: republic's senator dies in road accident

On August 14, near the village of Kuba-Taba, Baksan District of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), a road accident killed Albert Kazharov, the Senator (member of the Russia's Federation Council), from the KBR, and his driver Khasanbi Zhukov. According to preliminary data, the car with Senator Kazharov drove into the oncoming lane. He was heading to the funeral of his friend in Moscow, said his niece Almira. The Lada Priora car, with which Kazharov's car collided, was transporting local residents Gisa Magomadov, Albeck Barsanukaev and Islam Zhantimirov. Zhantimirov needed no medical help, while Magomadov and Barsanukaev were seriously injured. The funeral of Albert Kazharov took place on August 15 in his home village of Anzorei, Lesken District.

Stavropol Territory: Youth Forum "Mashuk" launched in Pyatigorsk

On August 14, the city of Pyatigorsk opened the All-Caucasian Youth Forum "Mashuk-2013", which will be attended by about three thousand people from all the regions of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD), other regions of Russia and from abroad. The forum will last for two weeks; its first shift will end on August 21. This year, the awarded grants will range from 100 to 500 thousand roubles for individuals, and up to 1 million roubles for public organizations. In total, it is planned to award 600 grants. This year the programme is such that before lunch the forum members can attend any lectures that interest them, and after the lunch – topical ones, according to their selected areas. During the first shift of the forum its participants will learn, attend VIP-lectures and defend their projects in the following areas: "Volunteering", "Creativity and Culture", "Information Technologies", "Healthy Lifestyle" and "Victory-70".

Volgograd native is world champion in athletics

On August 13, Yelena Isinbayeva, a native of Volgograd, an Olympic Champion, won the gold medal in pole vault at the World Championships in Athletics held in Moscow, thus, becoming a three-time world champion. Making a mistake at the first attempt at the height of 4.65 m, Isinbayeva then raised the bar higher. In the end, she was the only female athlete who managed to conquer the height of 4.89 m. She said after receiving her gold medal that it was for her old injury, rigid new poles and lack of competing experience this year that she could not break her previous world record. Isinbayeva also noted that she was going to make a long break in her sporting career, intending to start a family and deliver a child.