Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev Addresses Strained Relations with Russia, Citing Plane Crash and Attacks on Citizens

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has recently spoken about the escalation of tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia, asserting that the responsibility for the deterioration of relations does not lie with Azerbaijan. His remarks were made during an interview with the Saudi Arabian television channel "Al Arabiya".

The President highlighted two significant incidents that have profoundly affected bilateral relations. The first was the crash of an AZAL plane on 25 December 2024, which Aliyev claims was shot down by the Russian army. He noted that to date, the Russians have not explained what happened regarding the plane crash. Aliyev described this incident as a "serious issue" in bilateral relations, one that disappointed, angered, and saddened the Azerbaijani people. Despite this, he stated that Azerbaijan did not want to escalate tensions and is awaiting the conclusion of the investigation.

However, the situation reportedly worsened following "unprovoked attacks" against Azerbaijanis in Russia. Aliyev revealed that two Azerbaijanis were killed and others were subjected to torture. The official explanation given for their deaths was "heart attack," even though, according to Aliyev, they might have committed crimes 20 years prior. He strongly condemned this treatment, stating that they are human beings and should not be dealt with in such a manner. He emphasized that this was an "unprecedented act" against the Azerbaijani people, including both Azerbaijani citizens and Russian citizens of Azerbaijani origin.

The timeline provided indicates that relations deteriorated after the AZAL plane crash. Subsequently, in June 2025, raids and arrests began targeting Azerbaijanis in Russia, followed by similar actions against Russian citizens in Azerbaijan.

President Aliyev underscored that Azerbaijan will only respond constructively and legally. However, he unequivocally stated, "we will never tolerate signs and manifestations of aggression or disrespect against us". He reiterated that the responsibility for the worsening of relations is not on Azerbaijan.