Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry has detained seven individuals associated with Sputnik Azerbaijan, a Kremlin-funded media outlet, following a raid on its Baku office. The arrests have intensified the diplomatic rift between Azerbaijan and Russia, which has been escalating over recent months.
The detained include Sputnik Azerbaijan’s editor-in-chief, Yevgeny Belousov, and editorial director, Igor Kartavykh. Both have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, money laundering, and operating an illegal enterprise, offenses that carry significant prison sentences. They have been ordered into pre-trial detention for at least four months. Five other individuals linked to the media outlet are also under investigation for alleged fraud and illegal business activities.
The raid and subsequent arrests are part of Azerbaijan’s broader crackdown on Russian state media. In February 2025, the Azerbaijani government revoked Sputnik Azerbaijan’s accreditation, citing concerns over its operations. Despite this, the outlet continued to function, leading authorities to accuse it of operating through illegal financing.
The detentions have drawn sharp criticism from Russia. Sputnik’s parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, expressed deep concern over the actions, stating that the arrests have no basis and have led to the blocking of Sputnik Azerbaijan. The Kremlin also condemned the move, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserting that such measures against media members are not in line with generally accepted norms and do not match the spirit of Russian-Azerbaijani relations.
This development comes amid a series of incidents that have strained relations between the two nations. In June 2025, Russian police raids in Yekaterinburg resulted in the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, while in custody. Azerbaijan condemned the deaths as ethnically targeted violence and launched its own investigation. In response, Azerbaijan canceled official visits and cultural events linked to Russia.
The diplomatic tensions have further escalated following the December 2024 incident where an Azerbaijani passenger jet was downed over Russian airspace, resulting in 38 fatalities. Azerbaijan accused Russia of causing the crash through electronic warfare measures, a claim that Moscow has denied. Additionally, Azerbaijan’s growing alliance with Turkey and Ukraine has been perceived as a challenge to Russian influence in the region.
In response to the deteriorating relations, Russia has urged Azerbaijan to restore ties to a level of “strategic cooperation.” The Kremlin has called for the immediate release of the detained journalists, emphasizing the importance of preserving friendly relations between the two countries. However, Azerbaijan has maintained its stance, citing concerns over national security and sovereignty.
The situation remains tense, with both nations standing firm on their positions. The international community continues to monitor the developments closely, expressing concern over the potential implications for regional stability and press freedom.
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