The Azerbaijan national football team for players under 19, currently in a training camp in Slovenia, will play its second match today in the Slovenia Nations Cup friendly tournament.
Day: September 6, 2025
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Moscow Calling – September 6
Zakharova: Europe has “squandered” its own continent and found itself in a humanitarian disaster
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in an interview with TASS that Europe had failed to preserve its continent and had effectively “squandered” it. According to her, Western countries quickly abandoned the human rights rhetoric and talk of democracy that they had previously actively promoted. Now, she noted, countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are beginning to tell Europe how it could resolve the situation on its territory, which has become a symbol of failure for the West. Zakharova stressed that European countries have allowed their economies to collapse, their industries and science to decline, and have become a source of tragic events on their own continent. She recalled that it was these states that traditionally taught other regions about democracy and human rights, but in the end, they themselves created a humanitarian disaster. Zakharova noted that the current situation in the West is “fantastic” and has become the complete opposite of their former missionary rhetoric (TASS).
Intended effect: Zakharova’s statements aim to discredit Europe and reinforce the narrative of the West’s decline. Russian propaganda seeks to show that the European Union and its values have collapsed, and that countries in the Global South are now the “teachers of democracy.” This portrays Russia as a more stable and independent player amid Europe’s “fantastic fiasco.”
Former SBU employee Prozorov on Nord Stream and child trafficking in Ukraine
Vasily Prozorov, a former employee of the Security Service of Ukraine who allegedly collaborated with Russian special services after 2014 and now lives in Russia and presents himself as the head of the Ukr Leaks investigation center, stated in an interview with TASS that Ukrainian special services were behind the sabotage of Nord Stream, and that former SBU employee Roman Chervinsky was among the suspects. According to him, back in 2015, Ukraine decided to launch sabotage and terrorist activities against Donbass, Crimea, and Russia, and the training of personnel was carried out with the support of U.S. and British instructors. Prozorov claims that the attacks on the Druzhba pipeline were also organized by the SBU. He recalled that he himself survived an assassination attempt organized by the Ukrainian special services, and the case is now in court. Prozorov paid special attention to the topic of the removal of Ukrainian children. According to him, tens of thousands of minors were taken abroad and used for adoption, organ trafficking, and even pedophile networks. He noted that accusations against Russia of “child trafficking” are a cover to hide the real crimes of Kyiv. In addition, Prozorov spoke about the growing number of foreign mercenaries from Latin America who go to Ukraine for combat experience and earnings, and then return to their countries and join drug cartels, strengthening their military power (TASS).
Intended effect: The material aims to discredit Ukraine by portraying it as a terrorist state that commits terrorist acts and crimes against children with Western support. The propaganda reinforces the narrative of a “decaying” European Union and United States while contrasting Russia as the “responsible” party. The story about Latin American mercenaries broadens the scope of the conflict, presenting it as a threat to global security.
Alexei Overchuk: Armenia and Azerbaijan are Russia’s allies
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said that unblocking transport communications in the South Caucasus is in the interests of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia, according to RIA Novosti. He noted that the trilateral declaration by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020, ended the 44-day war and paved the way for a peaceful settlement. According to him, unblocking transport routes contributes to the development of the economy and logistics, improves relations between countries in the region, and strengthens stability and security. Overchuk stressed that Russia is ready to support the process of restoring infrastructure and promote the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Intended effect: The news aims to demonstrate Russia’s active role in resolving regional conflicts and stabilizing the South Caucasus. It emphasizes Russia’s allied relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan, reinforcing Russia’s image as a guarantor of peace and economic cooperation in the region.
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on September 6 that the ruling party has invited the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the upcoming October 4 local elections, after months of refusing to extend the invitation to the international mission.
The invitation came one month before the vote, despite ODIHR stating in June that it typically receives such requests four to six months before election day in order to carry out the necessary observation activities.
“To leave no question about the elections, we have decided to invite the OSCE/ODIHR mission to observe the local self-government elections, and the letter has already been sent to OSCE/ODIHR,” Kobakhidze said at a Saturday press briefing, exactly four weeks before the vote.
Critics say the invitation is late. “If there were political will, the invitation would have been sent much earlier, as in previous elections,” local election monitor ISFED head Levan Natroshvili wrote on Facebook.
In June, Kobakhidze said it would be “unnecessary” to “burden” the ODIHR mission with Georgia’s local elections, vowing the vote would be held in an “absolutely healthy manner.” In July, ODIHR regretted what it called the Georgian authorities’ “stated intention” not to invite the mission.
The ruling party’s final decision to invite the mission came two days after the registration deadline had passed, with many in the opposition boycotting, as Kobakhidze noted GD waited to see the “full picture.” He claimed the elections will be competitive, citing the participation of two major opposition forces. His statement also came one day after the GD-elected president Mikheil Kavelashvili pardoned two jailed leaders – Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze – of the participating opposition alliance Lelo/Strong Georgia.
Kobakhidze said the ruling party would have “immediately” invited the ODIHR mission if, as he put it, the “radical opposition and its foreign patrons” would “at least now affirm respect” for ODIHR’s final report on Georgia’s 2024 parliamentary elections. GD claims the report has worked in its favor, highlighting its note that elections were generally “well-administered,” while ignoring concerns over civil society, election institutions, and voter pressure.
“You all remember that because of this report, OSCE/ODIHR many times became the object of attack from the radical opposition and their foreign patrons,” Kobakhidze said, adding that “European and former American bureaucrats” also showed “gross disrespect” toward the report.
“Considering such an attitude from the European bureaucracy, it is expected that this year, even more pressure will be put on the OSCE/ODIHR mission than we witnessed last year. Accordingly, we understand that by inviting them to Georgia, we put OSCE/ODIHR in a serious challenge,” Kobakhidze said, adding that despite everything, the invitation was extended to “leave no questions.”
“We hope that despite multiple insults and pressure, OSCE/ODIHR will not abstain from sending the observation mission to Georgia,” he added.
“The Georgian government reaffirms its full readiness to create all conditions, as usual, for OSCE/ODIHR to conduct comprehensive election monitoring.”
When asked by a journalist from the pro-government TV channel Imedi whether the invitation was late, Kobakhidze said that the four weeks remaining before the vote provide “all the necessary time for the OSCE/ODIHR to staff its mission” and observe the elections.
He added that “until now, the processes were developing in a peaceful environment” and that “the pre-election campaign started, in reality, two weeks ago,” claiming, “Accordingly, there was not much to observe until now.”
Georgia’s upcoming local elections will be half-boycotted, as the opposition cites ongoing protests and state repression in its belief that participating would normalize Georgian Dream’s rule. It also pointed to changes in electoral legislation, which critics warn tilt the vote toward the ruling party, making a contest unfair and doomed to fail for the opposition. Eight parties have campaigned for boycotting the elections.
Two major opposition parties — Lelo/Strong Georgia and ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia — are among the 14 participating. They say they want to challenge the ruling government in major cities, including Tbilisi, where Georgian Dream’s support is relatively low.
Prominent local election monitor ISFED earlier said it would not deploy its “standard” monitoring mission for the elections, citing “largely unmet” conditions for a free, fair, and competitive vote, while noting it would continue to assess relevant pre-election developments.
Also Read:
- 05/09/2025 – Khazaradze, Japaridze Say Kavelashvili’s Pardon ‘Manipulation’ as They Leave Prison
- 26/08/2025 – Georgian Dream, Lelo/Gakharia’s Tbilisi Majoritarian Candidates for October 4 Local Vote
- 30/07/2025 – Georgian Dream Picks Kakha Kaladze to Seek Third Term as Tbilisi Mayor
- 18/06/2025 – British Embassy Rejects GD’s Accusations of Funding ‘Propaganda and Extremism,’ Urges Invitation of ODIHR Observers
- 17/06/2025 – Treason or Opportunity – Opposition Squabbles over Municipal Elections
A delegation led by Ahmad Ismayilov, Executive Director of the Media Development Agency (MDA) of Azerbaijan, including representatives from the Social Research Center, the Center for Analysis of International Relations, and the MDA itself, is participating in the Global South Media and Think Tanks Forum held in Yunnan Province, China, Azernews reports.