On June 30, police in Baku raided the offices of Russia's state-funded news agency Sputnik amid escalating tensions with Russia, following the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis in a Yekaterinburg police raid. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that Sputnik operated with "illegal financing" despite its accreditation being revoked in February 2025. Arrests were made, including editor-in-chief Yevgeny Belousov and director Igor Kartavykh, as shown in images of masked officers leading them away. Russia condemned the action as "unfriendly" and an "illegal arrest of journalists." Sputnik is seen as a Kremlin propaganda tool.

During a briefing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed regret over Azerbaijan’s retaliatory actions in response to recent events in Yekaterinburg. Peskov emphasized, “We sincerely regret these decisions,” underscoring that the incident was solely the result of law enforcement activities and should not provoke such a diplomatic reaction. 

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova voiced concern that Russian diplomats in Baku had been unable to contact Russian journalists for over two hours. Zakharova stated that no information was provided regarding the reasons for these restrictions and confirmed that the Russian Embassy had contacted Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, and State Security Service but received no response. In connection with the ongoing diplomatic tensions, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Rahman Mustafayev was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The ministry cited Baku’s “unfriendly actions” and the detention of Russian journalists, against whom no prior complaints had been raised, as the reason for the summons. 

On the same day, Azerbaijan’s Food Safety Agency reported destroying a 639-kilogram batch of onion rings imported from Russia. According to the agency, laboratory tests revealed microorganisms hazardous to human health in the products, which were produced by Miratorg-Zapad and imported by Miratorg LLC. 

Also on June 30, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova announced she had received an appeal from Sabina Aliyeva, Azerbaijan’s Commissioner for Human Rights, regarding the detentions in Yekaterinburg. Moskalkova stated that she had contacted Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate the legality of the actions and was in communication with Tatyana Merzlyakova, the Human Rights Commissioner for the Sverdlovsk Region, who was collaborating with Azerbaijani community representatives and legal advocates. 

Reactions from the EU and Ukraine

Peter Michalko, Head of the European Union Delegation to Azerbaijan, expressed deep concern over reports of violence, torture, and deaths inflicted upon ethnic Azerbaijanis by Russian security forces. Michalko conveyed sympathy to the victims’ families and condemned the reported acts of inhumanity. Yuriy Husyev, Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, condemned the Russian authorities’ repressive actions against Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg. Husyev characterized the violence as part of Russia’s systemic abuse and impunity, emphasizing that such repression has become the norm against both its citizens and those of other states. He supported the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s response and called for international pressure against Moscow. Volodymyr Kreidenko, Co-Chairman of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Interparliamentary Relations Group and Verkhovna Rada deputy, also declared solidarity with Azerbaijan. In comments to Report, he condemned the mistreatment of Azerbaijanis in Russia, describing the repression as incompatible with international law and evidence of the Kremlin’s disregard for human life. Kreidenko called for strengthening humanitarian support from Azerbaijan to Ukraine and emphasized the importance of joint action against totalitarianism. Oleksii Goncharenko, a Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada deputy, similarly criticized Russia’s ethnic persecution. He stated that Azerbaijanis had become Moscow’s latest scapegoats in its long history of targeting minority groups and praised Baku’s firm reaction. Goncharenko asserted that Russia only understands force and commended Azerbaijan’s decisive conduct.

Read also: Russian Raids On Azerbaijanis In Yekaterinburg Trigger Diplomatic Crisis Between Moscow and Baku