Burc Eruygur
02 July 2025•Update: 03 July 2025
ISTANBUL
Azerbaijan on Wednesday summoned Russia’s ambassador to Baku as tensions between the two countries continue to rise following a raid in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg late last month that resulted in the death of two Azerbaijanis while in custody.
A Foreign Ministry statement said Ambassador Mikhail Yevdokimov met with Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov, who conveyed Baku's rejection of Moscow's explanation of the incident in a note verbale presented by the Russian side a day earlier, claiming it contradicted "obvious signs of violence" on the bodies of the two Azerbaijanis who died.
“It was emphasized that manifestations of ethnic intolerance were observed in the Russian media regarding the raids and that the use of expressions such as ‘ethnic criminal group’ in relation to Azerbaijanis was unacceptable,” the statement said.
It also reminded Moscow of Baku's expectations for a "thorough and objective" investigation into the incident and the punishment of the perpetrators, calling the portrayal of Azerbaijan's position as interference in Russian internal affairs "unfounded."
“It was stated that the Russian side's remarks regarding the measures taken by Azerbaijan at the office of ‘Sputnik-Azerbaijan’ are unfounded,” the statement went on to say.
It also accused Russia of trying to distort the “real” situation surrounding the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan in December of last year that killed 38 of the 67 people on board, reiterating Baku’s expectations for a full and transparent investigation.
“The Russian side was called upon to take appropriate measures to eliminate tension and negative sentiment in bilateral relations between our countries,” the statement added.
Russian authorities have not immediately commented on Azerbaijan’s statement.
On Tuesday, Russia summoned Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the country, lodging a "strong" protest with the diplomat over what its Foreign Ministry described as recent "unfriendly" actions by Baku and "deliberate steps taken by the Azerbaijani side aimed at dismantling bilateral relations."
The move came following police raids in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on June 27, during which two Azerbaijanis died, as well as an operation at the offices of the Sputnik Azerbaijan news agency in Baku on Monday that resulted in the arrest of the agency’s head and its editor-in-chief.
