Day: July 1, 2025
Tensions Escalate Between Russia and Azerbaijan Over Journalist Detentions https://t.co/QxB5WRBqQM via @EurasiaNewsNet #Russia #Azerbaijan #SouthCaucasus
— Eurasia Media Network (@EurasiaNewsNet) July 1, 2025
Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have taken a sharp downturn following the detention of three Russian journalists in Baku, prompting Moscow to summon Azerbaijan’s ambassador, Rahman Mustafayev, to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The move comes in response to what Russia describes as “unfriendly actions” by Azerbaijan, escalating a diplomatic rift sparked by a recent police crackdown in Russia targeting suspected Azerbaijani criminal groups.
On Monday, Azerbaijani authorities raided the offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan, a branch of the Russian state-funded media outlet Russia Today, detaining two senior editors, Igor Kartavykh and Evgeny Belousov, along with a journalist from Ruptly, a Russian video news agency. Azerbaijani officials have accused the journalists of being agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), a claim Sputnik has dismissed as “absurd.” The detentions followed Azerbaijan’s investigation into Sputnik Azerbaijan for allegedly operating without a valid license, a charge that has fueled suspicions of political motivations.
The arrests come on the heels of a controversial Russian police operation in Yekaterinburg, where authorities targeted members of the Azerbaijani diaspora suspected of involvement in organized crime, including murders dating back to the early 2000s. The raids resulted in the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, with one reportedly dying of heart failure and the other from an undetermined cause, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee. Azerbaijan has condemned the operation as “extrajudicial killings” and an act of ethnic targeting, claims Russia has rejected, asserting that the raids were lawful and aimed at criminal elements.
In retaliation, Azerbaijan canceled all Russian cultural events, including concerts and exhibitions, and scrapped planned bilateral talks, including a visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has demanded a thorough investigation into the Yekaterinburg raids, calling for justice for those affected. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed concern over the lack of access to the detained journalists, stating that Russian diplomats have been unable to contact them, further inflaming tensions.
Dmitry Kiselev, head of Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik’s parent organization, condemned the treatment of the journalists, likening their arrests to those of “terrorists” and suggesting the detentions were a deliberate attempt to strain Moscow-Baku relations.
The diplomatic spat is the latest in a series of strains between the two nations. Tensions were already high following the December 2024 crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet, which President Ilham Aliyev claimed was unintentionally shot down by Russian air defenses near Grozny. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an apology for the “tragic incident” but stopped short of admitting responsibility, further souring ties.
As both sides dig in, analysts warn that the escalating rhetoric and tit-for-tat actions could jeopardize strategic cooperation in the Caucasus. Russia has signaled that continued “provocations” may lead to a reassessment of bilateral ties, while Azerbaijan appears to be aligning more closely with Western partners, as evidenced by recent diplomatic engagements with Ukraine.
Categories
Moscow Calling – July 1
Russia to disconnect mobile communications for foreigners not registered in biometric system
Starting July 1, mobile communications will be cut off for foreign citizens who have not registered with the Unified Biometric System (UBS), TASS cites the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media as saying. Since the beginning of the year, it has only been possible to sign mobile communication contracts if one has an SNILS, an account on the Gosuslugi website, and biometric data. Each person is allowed to register no more than ten SIM cards. For those who have not managed to submit their biometric data for previously signed contracts, mobile communications will be disconnected in stages: first, long-distance and international calls will be restricted; then internet speeds will be reduced, and after 30 days, service will be completely disconnected. More than two million foreigners have already registered with the system. New arrivals can create a digital profile through the ruID app. According to TASS, these measures aim to combat fraud and the circulation of illegal SIM cards (TASS).
Russia accuses OPCW of bias in Ukrainian chemical weapons case
Russia has questioned the credibility of the latest OPCW report dated June 26, which claims that CS tear gas, banned for military use, was found in the combat zone in Ukraine, TASS reports. The Russian Permanent Mission to the OPCW said that experts would carefully study the materials presented and provide their assessment. Moscow points out that the report is based solely on data collected by the Ukrainian side and that the OPCW’s actions go beyond the technical assistance provided for in the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Russian side also expressed dissatisfaction with the organization’s disregard for information it provided about Ukrainian violations and its failure to request additional clarification (TASS).
Petr Akopov: Spahn wants gays to hold nuclear button on behalf of Europe
In his article on RIA Novosti, political commentator Petr Akopov notes that the statements by Jens Spahn, the head of the CDU/CSU faction in Germany, are an example of the absurdity and double standards of Western politics. According to the article, Spahn believes that Iran cannot be trusted with even peaceful nuclear energy because of its execution of homosexuals, while Israel, which supposedly protects minorities — including gays and Muslims — has the right to attack Tehran. At the same time, according to Akopov, Spahn, who is openly gay himself, is calling for the creation of a European nuclear arsenal under German leadership to “contain” Russia. The author notes that this is not just paranoia, but direct propaganda for militarization and dragging Europe into confrontation. Akopov also mentions the words of CDU leader Friedrich Merz about the need to reinstate conscription. The article emphasizes that Germany will not get its bomb — “the Anglo-Saxons have no intention of sharing their nuclear trump card with their junior ‘partners’” (ria.ru).
Savchuk: Macron is leading Europe to economic collapse with anti-Russian sanctions
In his article, RIA Novosti columnist Sergey Savchuk warns that Emmanuel Macron’s statements about a new package of anti-Russian sanctions, driven by Russophobia, will lead Europe to collapse. According to the author, Macron is promising a “deadly” price cap on Russian oil, but the facts show that previous sanctions have only increased Europe’s dependence on expensive imports from the U.S. and other countries. Instead of solving internal problems and the energy crisis, according to Savchuk, the EU continues to tread water, getting drawn into a dangerous game against Russia. He notes that internal discontent is growing, but the authorities, including Macron and Merz, insist on militarization and a hard line, which only exacerbates the situation and threatens Europe’s economic stability and security (ria.ru).
“Emotions instead of dialogue”: Russia alarmed by Baku’s turn toward conflict
Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are undergoing a serious deterioration caused by the detention of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, which provoked a sharp and emotional reaction from Baku, according to an article in the Russian propaganda outlet EADaily. According to the media outlet, Azerbaijan has canceled all cultural events involving Russian organizations and interparliamentary meetings, accusing Russian law enforcement agencies of “discriminatory policies” and extrajudicial killings. At the same time, as noted in the article, a large-scale anti-Russian campaign has unfolded in the local media, and the government has refused to receive Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk. Despite official explanations from the Russian Interior Ministry and Investigative Committee that the arrests were related to investigations into old criminal cases, Baku expressed strong protest and summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires to the Foreign Ministry, according to the article. The author claims that Russian experts view this escalation as an attack of “cloudiness.” Azerbaijan is heading toward a confrontation with Moscow, risking undermining its long-standing close ties with Russia. The article emphasizes that such a sharp policy repeats the patterns of past crises, when emotions took precedence over rational dialogue (EADaily).