The maneuvers involve up to 12,700 serviceman, about 70 planes and helicopters, up to 680 military equipment units, including around 250 tanks, up to 200 weapons, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars and 10 ships.

More than 50,000 people were evacuated from train stations, universities, hotels and other institutions

The new European Union Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Kestutis Jankauskas, has formally started his mission after presenting his credentials to the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Qarabag FK will play Chelsea tonight in the Champion's league. Mirbahram Azimbayli reflects on the wider significance of this sports event in this op-ed for commonspace.eu

Other reports say that Lapshin had the previous day tried to commit suicide in jail, but that the attempt was foiled by prison guards

A statement was issued after a meeting of the religious leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, held in Moscow at the initiative of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

The meeting, at the Monastery of St Daniel, was held at the intiative of Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Nagorno-Karabakh is formally recognised as part of Azerbaijan by the international community, but the Armenian population of the territory seceded during the conflict in the 1990s. The Azerbaijani population of the territory was displaced as a result of the conflict.

The three countries expressed satisfaction at the level of relations between them and promised increased co-operation in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres

The Georgian army today is better trained and more battle hardened then it was in 2008, but drastic changes are still necessary if it is to become a fighting force fit for purpose argues Timothy Ogden in this op-ed