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This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
The Azerbaijan-Russia diplomatic tension is a mutual political and security crisis that began with a civilian aircraft crash in December 2024 and continued until July 2025. The tension initially arose when an Azerbaijani passenger aircraft was shot down by Russian air defense systems over Russian airspace. This was followed in June 2025 by police operations in Yekaterinburg, Russia, targeting individuals of Azerbaijani origin, during which several deaths occurred. During this period, Azerbaijan conducted an operation against the Sputnik bureau in Baku linked to Russia. These developments led to the exchange of diplomatic notes, the suspension of cultural and political contacts, and the escalation of bilateral diplomatic tensions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev – (Anadolu Ajansı)
Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have been shaped since the dissolution of the Soviet Union by energy trade, agricultural exports, and diaspora ties. Azerbaijan imported oil and natural gas from Russia and exported agricultural products to the Russian market. It has been reported that the Azerbaijani-origin population in Russia is active in sectors such as trade and transportation.
In the context of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in the South Caucasus, Russia provided military and economic support to Armenia while maintaining diplomatic and economic contacts with Azerbaijan. In 2020, Azerbaijan launched a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh and established control over the region with support from Turkey. After Azerbaijan reestablished full control over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, the role of Russian peacekeeping forces in the region diminished. During this period, Azerbaijan increased its diplomatic engagement with Turkey and Western countries.
On 25 December 2024, a passenger aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines suffered damage from Russian air defense fire during a flight from Baku to Grozni. The aircraft crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, resulting in the deaths of 38 people.
Azerbaijan demanded an official apology from Russia and the punishment of those responsible. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the incident as a “tragic accident” but did not accept direct responsibility. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Russia of attempting to cover up the incident and did not attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on 9 May 2025.
This event prompted a reassessment of strategic alliances between the two countries and marked the first serious rupture in their diplomatic relations.
AZAL’s Embraer E190 aircraft operating the Baku-Grozni route, 25 December 2024 – (Anadolu Ajansı)
On 27 June 2025, police conducted raids on the homes of the Safarov family, of Azerbaijani origin, in Yekaterinburg, Russia. During the operation, two brothers, Ziyaddin Safarov and Hüseyin Safarov, were killed and other family members were seriously injured.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the incident an act of ethnic-based torture and extrajudicial execution. Russian authorities reported the deaths as caused by “heart attacks” and “unknown causes.” Following the incident, the bodies of the Safarov brothers were repatriated to Azerbaijan for forensic examination. The operation sparked public outrage in Azerbaijan and contributed to a diplomatic escalation between the two countries.
On 30 June 2025, units under Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted an operation against the Baku office of the Russian state-affiliated news agency Sputnik and arrested its managers Igor Kartavykh and Yevgeniy Belousov.
An investigation was launched against Kartavykh and Belousov on charges of “organized fraud,” “illegal entrepreneurship,” and “money laundering,” resulting in four-month pretrial detention orders. Sputnik’s accreditation in Azerbaijan had been suspended since February 2025, but its office continued operations. Local sources alleged that the detained individuals were connected to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
Arrest of two employees of the Russian news agency Sputnik in Azerbaijan, 1 July 2025 – (Anadolu Ajansı)
On 1 July 2025, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Azerbaijani Ambassador to Moscow Rahman Mustafayev, demanding the release of the detained Sputnik employees and issuing a strong protest note against Azerbaijan’s “unfriendly actions.”
On the same day, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Counselor in Baku to deliver a protest note over the Yekaterinburg incident and called for a comprehensive investigation into police violence and the punishment of those responsible. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture announced the cancellation of Russian-sponsored cultural events in Azerbaijan, and planned visits by members of the National Assembly to Russia were suspended.
In June and July 2025, public debate in Azerbaijan focused on the status of certain state-supported projects related to relations with Russia. In particular, financial support for Russian state schools in Azerbaijan and their legal status became subjects of public discussion. Additionally, diplomatic steps such as the recall of the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia were widely debated in the public sphere.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture canceled Russian-origin cultural events. Planned visits by members of the National Assembly to Russia were suspended. Official statements by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted allegations of violence and extrajudicial executions targeting Azerbaijani citizens.
Following the 27 June 2025 operations targeting individuals of Azerbaijani origin in Yekaterinburg, new measures were taken against diaspora representatives. Shahin Shikhlinksi, a leader of the Yekaterinburg Azerbaijani diaspora, was briefly detained. Another individual of Azerbaijani origin in Voronezh was also taken into custody. Russian security forces were reported to have intensified their operations against diaspora representatives during this period.
No public bilateral meeting took place between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin from December 2024 to July 2025. Diplomatic communication during the crisis was conducted exclusively through the foreign ministries and embassies of both countries.
In December 2024, a passenger aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan was shot down by Russian air defense systems. In June 2025, police raids targeting individuals of Azerbaijani origin were carried out in Yekaterinburg, Russia, resulting in the deaths of two people. Following these incidents, Azerbaijan conducted an operation against the Sputnik office in Baku and arrested several employees. Mutual diplomatic notes were exchanged between the two countries, and cultural and political contacts were suspended.
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July 3, 2025
Historical Context and Bilateral Relations
July 3, 2025
Key Events in the 2024–2025 Crisis
July 3, 2025
Domestic Politics and Public Reaction