Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have recently experienced significant tensions. The Baku side has presented a number of official protests to the Russian Federation, issuing a statement about events that "damage" the relations between the two countries.
This week, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russia's extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador Mikhail Evdokimov, presenting him with several serious claims. Including:
The Yekaterinburg incident: The Azerbaijani side demands Moscow to conduct a fair investigation and punish those responsible for the arrest of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg at the end of June, two of whom later died.
Dissatisfaction with the term "ethnic group": The Azerbaijani MFA accuses Russian officials and media of inciting hatred between nations. In particular, the use of the term "ethnic criminal group" is strongly rejected by Baku.
The “Sputning Ozarboyjon” scandal: Baku deemed the protests by the Russian side regarding the arrest of employees of the "Sputnik Azerbaijan" agency as “baseless”.
The Embraer E190 disaster: Azerbaijan also demands Russia conduct a full and transparent investigation into the Embraer E190 plane crash that occurred on the Baku — Grozny route. According to Baku, these measures play an important role in easing the negative mood in bilateral relations.
Zakharova’s comment: there are "forces" against the strategic alliance
Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian MFA, made a conciliatory statement about the situation, talking about "forces" that want to destroy the strategic alliance between Ozarboyjon and Russia. However, she noted that so far, despite Russia's requests to Baku, Azerbaijani security forces have not granted consular access to detained Russians.
Warning to Russian citizens
Against this background, the Russian MFA has called on its citizens to exercise "vigilance and caution" while in Azerbaijan. It is also recommended to consider the current political climate when planning a trip to the country.
Meanwhile, the “Arka” human rights organization reported raids taking place in areas where Russians live in Azerbaijan and instances of police use of force. According to the organization, police enter at night, interrogating Russians about their visa status, and force has been used in some cases.
