Whether the Armenian diamond-cutting industry is hurt or helped by the likely sanctions will depend on the EU's ability to trace the gems' origin to Russia.
Azerbaijan's state oil company, SOCAR, will receive a $1.5 billion loan from Russia's Lukoil as part of a deal to supply crude oil to SOCAR's oil refinery in Turkey.
Georgia's top financial authority went into damage-control mode after its decision to end automatic compliance with international financial sanctions caused a furore.
Berdymukhamedov the elder's insistence on stealing his son's limelight makes it hard to know who is truly running the country. This and more in this week's Akhal-Teke Bulletin.