The Russian government has summoned Azerbaijan’s ambassador in protest after two Russian journalists were detained in Baku, escalating tensions between the two countries amid what Moscow views as a broader campaign by Azerbaijan to suppress Russian cultural and media institutions.
Russian diplomats confirmed on Tuesday that Ambassador Rahman Mustafayev was called to the Foreign Ministry after Azerbaijani authorities raided the Baku bureau of Sputnik Azerbaijan, detaining Editor-in-Chief Yevgeny Belousov and Executive Director Igor Kartavykh. The Kremlin described the arrests as politically motivated and a violation of international norms governing press freedom and diplomatic access.
“We view the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities as hostile and completely unjustified,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, citing the Vienna Convention on consular access. “Our journalists were detained without legal basis, and Russian diplomats were denied access.”
According to reports from Russian media outlet Gazeta, the journalists had been targeted despite Sputnik Azerbaijan being a legally registered Russian media outlet. Azerbaijani news site Minval.az claimed without proof that the detained personnel were allegedly connected to Russian security services, though no evidence has been presented publicly.
A Provocative Crackdown Framed as Licensing Dispute
Azerbaijani authorities allege that the media outlet’s license was suspended in February and that it continued operations unlawfully. However, Russian officials have rejected this explanation, calling it a pretext for targeting Russian media.
“This is not a licensing issue. It is a deliberate act of censorship and an attack on freedom of the press,” said Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of the Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee, during an interview on Rossiya-24.
Russia’s Human Rights Council issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the detention and warning of long-term damage to bilateral relations if Baku continues its “anti-Russian trajectory.”
Kremlin Defends Legal Process in Yekaterinburg Incident
The journalist detentions came just days after Azerbaijan suspended all Russian cultural events in protest over the deaths of two Azerbaijani citizens in Russian custody. The two men, detained in connection with a 2014 gang-related double homicide in Yekaterinburg, died while in custody under circumstances Russian authorities described as medical-related.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated on Tuesday that Russian law enforcement acted in accordance with domestic laws and due process. He urged Azerbaijan not to politicize the case, stating that law enforcement matters should remain separate from diplomatic and cultural ties.
Asked about the Culture Ministry’s decision, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday: “We sincerely regret such decisions.”
“We believe everything happening in Yekaterinburg relates to the work of law enforcement agencies,” Peskov said in comments reported by Reuters.
Cultural Escalation Widens the Rift
In an unexpected escalation, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture canceled all Russian-led cultural activities in the country, including concerts, theatrical performances, and academic forums. Moscow views this as an unnecessary provocation that undermines decades of bilateral cooperation in the post-Soviet space.
Russian lawmakers have called the move an affront to cultural diplomacy. The Foreign Ministry said it would reevaluate the status of Azerbaijani cultural institutions in Russia if the detentions are not resolved quickly and transparently.
Russia Signals Strategic Patience but Warns of Consequences
While Russian officials have stopped short of retaliatory measures, signals from Moscow suggest that patience is wearing thin. Diplomatic analysts in Moscow believe Azerbaijan is attempting to align more closely with Western and Turkish interests at the expense of strategic balance.
Moscow views the dispute not merely as an isolated conflict over journalists or suspended cultural programs, but as part of a broader shift in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. Russian analysts suggest Baku is making deliberate choices that align with outside actors who openly oppose Russian influence in the Caucasus and beyond.
Although the Kremlin continues to emphasize diplomacy as the preferred path, it has begun signaling that a failure to resolve the issue could lead to a reassessment of the broader bilateral relationship. Moscow has warned that strategic cooperation may no longer be guaranteed if provocations persist.
