The US missile strike on Syria, despite Russia's protection, has left president Putin licking his wounds. His response may be closer to home, in Ukraine or Georgia, where Russia still has plenty of assets, and room for manoeuvre

Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelize visited Yerevan on Tuesday (11 April) for talks with the Armenian leadership

Minister of Energy of Georgia, Kakha Kaladze, says "no deals will be concluded to purchase Russian gas until late 2017".

Early reports from Tskhinvali suggest that Parliamentary Speaker Anatoli Bibilov has claimed an outright victory in South Ossetia's presidential election which took place on Sunday (10 April) ousting the current incumbent, Leonid Tibilov, but other reports say a run-off is necessary

The rally was organised by the National Council, an opposition umbrella organisation, and was sanctioned by the authorities under tightly controlled rules. The ruling YAP party dismissed the rally as a non-event.

The President's speech came on the eve of controversial polls in South Osseta that have been characterised as illegitimate by the European Union and the United States

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said it was necessary for the CIS to deal with the conflicts within it before thinking of anything else.

The agreement will offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan,

Russia and Iran for the moment have shared interest in containing western and Turkish influence in the South Caucasus. In the long term however their relationship in the region is likely to become more competitive than cooperative, says Benyamin Poghosyan in this commentary

More than 200 servicemen will participate in the drills, and about 50 units of aviation and special military equipment will be used.