**Russia and Azerbaijan Relations Unravel After Arrests, Media Raids, and Unresolved Crash**
Tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan have sharply deteriorated in recent days amid a series of high-profile incidents. The latest developments have sparked concerns about the future of their relationship, which was once considered close.
**Deadly Detentions and Media Raids**
Over the weekend, Russian law enforcement agencies arrested several Azerbaijani citizens in Yekaterinburg, resulting in the deaths of some individuals. This came just days after Azerbaijan’s police raided the Baku offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan, a Russian state-controlled media outlet. Several employees were detained, with authorities claiming that two of them were operatives of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
The detention of Russian citizens has further escalated tensions between the two nations. Azerbaijan arrested eight Russian citizens accused of cybercrimes and smuggling drugs from Iran. They were presented in court handcuffed, bruised, and bloodied.
**Unresolved Plane Crash**
The current crisis has its roots in a tragic event late last year when a Russian air defense system shot down an Azerbaijani passenger plane. The incident killed 38 people out of 67 on board. While Russian President Vladimir Putin offered condolences to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, he did not take responsibility for the crash.
Aliyev later criticized Russia’s handling of the incident, accusing its agencies of suppressing evidence and spreading “absurd versions” of what happened. The unresolved issue served as a catalyst for the current diplomatic rupture.
**Symbolic Diplomacy**
The fallout from the plane crash spilled over into symbolic diplomacy. In March, Aliyev canceled his trip to attend Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow without explanation. This decision sent a clear message that no improvement in relations was expected – at least not publicly.
**Current Situation**
Tension has simmered since May 9 and erupted in recent days with the deadly detentions and media raids. Azerbaijan’s reaction went beyond just official statements, with the government canceling all Russian-organized events scheduled to take place across the country.
The diplomatic rupture escalated further on June 30, when Azerbaijani police raided Sputnik Azerbaijan’s offices. Russia retaliated by summoning Azerbaijani Ambassador Rahman Mustafayev to the Foreign Ministry, where he was informed of Moscow’s formal protest over Baku’s “unfriendly steps and deliberate measures to dismantle relations with Moscow.”
**Assessment**
Reflecting on the sharp escalation in tensions, Dubnov suggested that while the fallout appears serious, it is unlikely to result in a full diplomatic rupture. “I believe this will last for a while – not just a few days, but perhaps a few weeks – yet I don’t think it will lead to anything truly consequential,” he said.
However, the current situation remains uncertain, and only time will tell if Russia and Azerbaijan can find a way to resolve their differences.
**Sources**
The Kyiv Independent’s reporting on this story was made possible by its readers. If you liked this article, consider joining our community today to support independent journalism.
