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Kremlin Blames Ukraine—Again—This Time for Russia’s Fallout With Azerbaijan
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting to exploit the current strain in Moscow-Baku relations, following the deaths of two Azerbaijani nationals in Russian custody and a growing diplomatic standoff between the two countries.
According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Ukrainian authorities are “doing everything possible” to provoke Azerbaijan and escalate the situation. He claimed Ukraine is trying to “further stir emotions” and “manipulate” reports surrounding the incident.
“The Kyiv regime will undoubtedly attempt to use this information to increase tensions,” Peskov said, referring to the deaths of Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, two Azerbaijani brothers who died during law enforcement operations in Yekaterinburg in late June.
The Kremlin’s comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, during which Zelenskyy expressed support for Azerbaijan “in the face of Russian mistreatment.”
The two leaders also discussed humanitarian cooperation, energy, and plans for a bilateral economic commission meeting.
Peskov stated that the situation is currently being addressed at the level of law enforcement agencies. Russia’s Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin and Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev are reportedly engaged in discussions over the case.
The Kremlin also acknowledged video footage showing Russian nationals detained in Azerbaijan with visible injuries, and pledged to defend their rights through diplomatic channels.
The tensions follow the June detentions of multiple Azerbaijani nationals in Russia, with the Investigative Committee citing ongoing murder-for-hire investigations.
Azerbaijani forensic authorities reported that Ziyaddin Safarov died from trauma-related shock, while Huseyn Safarov succumbed to hemorrhagic shock due to multiple injuries. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has called for a thorough investigation and accountability for the alleged mistreatment.
In response, Azerbaijani authorities launched an investigation and conducted a raid on the Baku office of Russian state-run outlet Sputnik. Two top staff members, Executive Director Igor Kartavykh and Editor-in-Chief Yevgeny Belousov, were arrested on charges of fraud, illegal business activity, and money laundering.
On July 1, Azerbaijani law enforcement also reported the detention of eight Russian nationals on charges related to drug trafficking and cybercrime.
Earlier, Azerbaijani media outlet Minval Politika published leaked audio recordings suggesting that an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet, which crashed near Aktau on December 25, was downed by a Russian missile. The materials include a statement allegedly written by a Russian air defense officer and voice messages confirming an order to fire at the aircraft despite poor visibility due to fog.
