In brief
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia escalated after the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis in custody, exposing a deep diplomatic rift and questioning Moscow's influence in the region.
Tensions have skyrocketed between Russia and Azerbaijan following the controversial deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijani brothers, Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov, in Russian custody. The brothers were held during an investigation into a string of mafia-style killings in Yekaterinburg. One reportedly died of heart failure, while the cause of the other's death remains unverified, prompting Azerbaijan to react with outrage.Baku has charged that the brothers experienced "torture and murder with extreme cruelty," launching its own investigation into the incident. Azerbaijan's media outlets accused Russia of targeting ethnic minorities as part of an effort to suppress dissent and maintain control. This crisis signals a shifting power dynamic in the region, as Azerbaijan distances itself from a relationship that was once deemed close, especially highlighted by a declaration of alliance signed just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
