The relationship between Russia and Azerbaijan is seriously deteriorating, even though it still took quite long all things considered. Above is courtesy of Putin bytheway, who keeps trying to appease the brown dictators on his southern border (Central Asia+Caucasus) but the gestures of goodwill for some reason never get reciprocated.
Quick summary of the run up. Aliyev has in recent years become increasingly belligerent towards Russia, something which has become overt since February 2022. Watershed moment: Aliyev double crossed Moscow by trashing the Russia orchestrated November 9 2020 ceasefire agreement regarding Artsakh, acting with disregards for the Russian peacekeepers killing 14 during the 1 day 2023 Second Artsakh war+ aftermath. Aliyev has since conquered, dismantled and ethnically cleansed that Russian puppet state. Aliyev followed up by humiliating Putin and Lavrov in Samarkand. The Azerbaijani government supports Azeri organised crime rings within Russia. Azerbaijani state TV claims regions of Russia as Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan openly states it wants to open the Zangezur Corridor to give Turkey access to Central Asia.
Putin never responded in kind, instead calling Aliyev 'a great friend', and stated that 'Azerbaijan and Russia are natural allies', who would continue and expand cooperation on all fronts.
Then on December 25, 2024 Russian AD units targeted an Azerbaijani Airliner (flight 8243) flying in Russian airspace, mistaking it for a Ukrainian drone. The airliner crashed in Kazakhstan, 38 people died. The Azerbaijani were furious immediately pointing fingers at Russia, showing impact holes in the fuselage. Putin denied involvement at first, yet changed tunes a few days later and gave a half-hearted apology. Aliyev wasn't satisfied and wanted a full admission of guilt. This never came. Ever since the Russians are uncooperative in the investigation, and as a form of punishment Azeris started closing Russian media outlets' offices and cultural centers in Azerbaijan.
Entry holes in the fuselage.
Per usual, for what it's worth, the Kremlin blamed DA WEST for the deteriorating Russia-Azeri relationship. Maria Zakharova stated that Western troublemakers wanted to 'catch their luck and try to drive a wedge in relations between Russia and Azerbaijan in connection with the crash of the AZAL plane and other issues, but this is doomed to fail'.
Shit really hit the fan couple of days ago, on June 28 police in Yekaterinburg launched raids on Azeri crime syndicates. During the raids+detention 2 Azeri brothers died, several others were injured and 50 were arrested. The Russians maintained the two brothers died of heart failure, Azerbaijan maintains they were tortured to death in a pre-detention centre. Aliyev almost immediately chimped out, claimed racism, arrested Russian journalists tied to state owned media in Azerbaijan , arrested Russian nationals claiming they were criminals, and demanded apologies.
Russian nationals in Azerbaijan arrested, beaten up and paraded around for maximum humiliation. Most of them look like ordinary guys
Sputnik Director and Editor in Chief arrested in Baku, Sputnik office raided. Both arrested on spying charges, accused of working for the FSB.
Azeri statement on the matter.
Just in: more arrests of Azerbaijani gangsters in Russia. Actual Russians love seeing these videos, foreign criminals for decades had a free hand and often work in cahoots with local law enforcement agencies. Azeri mafia is especially strong in Saint Petersburg.
For once RWA is actually on to something.