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Murders of discord: what will lead to the biggest quarrel between Russia and Azerbaijan

The biggest scandal broke out after the arrests of representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg. After the security forces' raid in Baku, all Russian cultural events were canceled, security forces came to search the editorial office of Sputnik Azerbaijan, and a loud anti-Russian campaign began in the media. Izvestia investigated the situation.
The "roof" has gone
On June 27, searches and detentions of representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora took place in Yekaterinburg. According to the Ural media, about 50 people were taken to the police. "Several suspects have already confessed, are cooperating with the investigation, and searches have been conducted at the places of residence of these individuals," the Investigative Committee of the Sverdlovsk Region said in a statement.
The official representative of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Svetlana Petrenko, said that the defendants in the case are suspected of creating an ethnic organized crime group, among their alleged crimes is the murder in 2001 of Yunis Pashayev, a native of Azerbaijan, who died from stab wounds. In 2010, an attempt was made on businessman Fekhruz Shirinov, and a year later Ikram Hajiyev, the owner of a large vegetable warehouse, was killed.
The Ural edition of E1 notes that all these crimes are supposedly related to each other. According to published data, Yunis Pashayev sold clothes at the market and at some point allegedly refused to pay his compatriots for a "roof." They killed him, and then started hunting for his close friends. "In fact, the diaspora has been divided into two camps all these years," the publication notes.
According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, a total of 14 searches were conducted during the current raid, and 10 witnesses were questioned. Six people were eventually detained, four of them are relatives by the name of Safarova. It is noted that during the investigative measures, two people died: one due to heart failure, the causes of death of the second are being investigated.
In search of agents
Azerbaijan reacted violently to the incident. The country's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern over the actions of the security forces. The ministry noted that among the detainees there are dead and injured and asked to bring to justice "those involved in violence." In addition, Pyotr Volokov, Charge d'affaires of the Russian Embassy, was summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
Further, the Government of Azerbaijan reported that all cultural events related to Russia, including concerts, festivals, exhibitions and performances, have been canceled in the republic. The parliament announced that it was canceling a previously scheduled meeting with Russian senators and deputies in Moscow.
Azerbaijani media also reported that official Baku canceled a visit to the country by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk scheduled for the end of June. "The reason was the events in Yekaterinburg, which caused a sharp reaction from the public. In the current situation, the Azerbaijani side does not consider the arrival of Russian officials appropriate," the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani media published materials with harsh criticism of Russian domestic and foreign policy. For example, the state agency Azertac published an article stating that the Russian Federation allegedly carries out repressions against migrants and national minorities. The largest TV channel AzTV has released a story saying that Moscow is concerned about the republic's transformation into a "strong regional country."
Finally, on the afternoon of June 30, security forces came to the editorial office of Sputnik Azerbaijan agency in Baku. It is known that all employees were called to their workplaces, and the surrounding area was cordoned off. Representatives of the Russian embassy arrived at the site, but could not enter the building. Several Azerbaijani publications, citing sources, wrote that "two FSB agents" were allegedly detained during the operation.
In Russia, the reaction to all this is rather restrained. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reported that the final conclusions about the causes of death of the two defendants in the case will be made after a forensic medical examination. In turn, the Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia, Tatiana Moskalkova, asked the Prosecutor General's Office to verify the legality and validity of the security forces' raid in Yekaterinburg.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed concern that there is no communication with Russian citizen journalists in Baku. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regrets the decisions taken in Baku. "We are interested in further developing our good relations with Azerbaijan," he stressed. On the afternoon of June 30, it became known that the Ambassador of the Transcaucasian republic had been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
What the experts say
Nikolai Silaev, a leading researcher at the MGIMO Center for Caucasus and Regional Security Problems, believes that Azerbaijan is deliberately stirring up a scandal.
— It would seem that it is easier to help detainees in the silence of high offices without making a fuss. But a strategy of public confrontation has been chosen. What is this done for? I think this is a definite signal to Western countries. Baku seems to be saying that it is ready to cooperate on various issues. In addition, after the reconquest of Karabakh, there is a certain dizziness of success in the country. It's very difficult for them to stop and objectively evaluate what they're saying and how they're saying it," he explains.
Vadim Mukhanov, Head of the Caucasus Sector at the IMEMO RAS, believes that relations between Russia and Azerbaijan will not change dramatically after the current events.
— This is not the first emotional outburst from Baku in recent times, now there is another surge. At the same time, both countries are actually interested in building good-neighborly relations. This is important for Azerbaijan in the context of the Middle East crisis and general global instability. Moscow also values these relations — Russia is now somewhat dependent on its neighbors, who help to establish transit flows. As a result, I think the emotions will subside, the parties will calm down and eventually return to dialogue," he says.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»