MOSCOW/BAKU – Russia on Wednesday urged Azerbaijan to repair strained diplomatic ties, warning that the current crisis could damage long-standing cooperation between the two nations if left unresolved.
Tensions escalated after two ethnic Azerbaijanis died during police raids in Russia last week. In response, Baku arrested two Russian journalists and around 15 other Russian nationals on charges of drug trafficking and cybercrime, worsening the standoff.
Azerbaijan claims autopsy results show the two men were beaten to death, while Moscow insists one of them died from heart problems. Baku has launched its own investigation to determine the truth behind the deaths.
Adding to the tensions, relations have remained rocky since a deadly plane crash late last year killed 38 people. Azerbaijan blames the incident on stray fire from Russian air defense systems, though a final report on the crash is still pending.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that outside forces may be trying to exploit the situation. She called on Azerbaijan to restore ties based on mutual respect and criticized Baku for denying consular access to detained Russian citizens.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is working to negotiate the release of the detained Russian journalists, who face fraud charges. Moscow insists that restoring strategic cooperation is essential for both countries and their people.