- Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia have escalated sharply following the deaths of two Azerbaijani brothers, Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov, in Russian police custody.
- Azerbaijan has responded by suspending bilateral meetings, canceling cultural events, and raiding the offices of the Russian state-funded outlet Sputnik.
- Diplomatic relations were already strained by the unresolved investigation into a fatal December 2024 Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, which Azerbaijan alleges was caused by a Russian missile strike.
Escalating Incidents
- On June 27, Russian FSB raids in Yekaterinburg led to the arrests of over 50 ethnic Azerbaijanis, including the Safarov brothers.
- Russian authorities cited heart failure for Ziyaddin’s death; however, the brothers' bodies returned to Baku showed signs of severe beating, fractures, and missing organs, leading Azerbaijani officials to accuse Russia of torture.
- Survivors of the raids reported being subjected to beatings, electric shocks, and forced false confessions.
- Further provocations include the assault of an ethnic Azerbaijani woman and the beating of diaspora leader Shahin Shikhlinski by Russian soldiers on July 1.
Reciprocal Retaliation
- Azerbaijan has detained several Russian citizens on charges including drug trafficking and cybercrime, with reports indicating signs of physical abuse among these detainees.
- Azerbaijani authorities have charged seven Sputnik journalists with financial crimes, placing two in pretrial detention.
- Russia has responded by blocking access to .az domain websites, deporting Azerbaijani families, and initiating legal and tax investigations against prominent Azerbaijani businessmen and figures close to President Aliyev.
Underlying Tensions
- The relationship has been failing since the December 25, 2024, plane crash involving AZAL, which video and eyewitness accounts suggest was downed by external Russian fire.
- Earlier in 2025, Baku closed the Russian cultural agency 'Russia House' and the local branch of Russia Today, citing illegal activities and lack of proper registration.