July 18, 2025
Azerbaijan refused to attend a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Economic Council in Moscow, the Azerbaijani outlet Trend reported on July 18, citing an informed source.
Azerbaijan is typically represented at CIS meetings by First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyubov.
“Yagub Eyubov will not attend this event,” the source said. “The decision stems from recent developments in Yekaterinburg, the downing of an AZAL aircraft by Russian forces late last year, and Moscow’s unwillingness to take adequate steps to resolve these issues.”
The Moscow Times notes that relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have experienced two major flare-ups over the past year.
In late December 2024, an AZAL passenger plane crashed over Kazakhstan, reportedly after being struck by a Russian air defense system in Grozny during a Ukrainian drone raid on the city. The crash killed 38 people.
“Baku blamed Moscow for the incident, accusing Russian forces of shooting down the plane and demanding a full investigation and compensation for the victims,” The Moscow Times reported. “In response, Azerbaijani authorities shut down the Russian cultural center Rossotrudnichestvo — known as the Russian House — in Baku and blocked a number of pro-Kremlin media outlets, including Tsargrad, owned by billionaire Konstantin Malofeev, and Match TV, part of the Gazprom-Media group.”
Tensions escalated again in June 2025 after mass raids and detentions targeting Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg, stemming from years-old investigations. During the operation, two brothers, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov — suspects in the murder of businessman Yunis Pashayev — were killed.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry demanded a full investigation, accusing Russia’s FSB of the “brutal murder” of Azerbaijani citizens, and summoned the Russian ambassador in Baku to deliver a formal note of protest.
Both sides then launched a series of arrests in their respective countries.
“In Baku on June 30, seven employees of Kremlin-owned Sputnik news agency were detained. The agency had already been ordered to halt operations following the AZAL plane crash,” The Moscow Times wrote. “The next day, two of them — bureau chief Igor Kartavykh and editor-in-chief Yevgeny Bilousov — were arrested on charges of fraud, illegal business activity, and money laundering. Authorities in Baku believe the men are undercover FSB agents.”
On July 16, a court in Yekaterinburg ordered the son of Ural Azerbaijani diaspora leader Mutvali Shikhlynskiy into pretrial detention. He stands accused of assaulting a representative of Russian law enforcement.
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Meanwhile, Russia is expanding its military presence in Armenia amid rising tensions with Azerbaijan. In particular, the Kremlin has ramped up reinforcements at its military base in the Armenian city of Gyumri to increase pressure on South Caucasus nations.
Not to be forgotten, are mafia land’s other problems outside the shithole.