Azerbaijan has halted activities of “Russian House” in Baku according to local media reports on Thursday, following accusations of espionage. This is being described as an escalation of tensions between the two countries.
According to reports, Baku has sent a diplomatic note to Moscow “officially informing about the termination of Rossotrudnichestvo agency's activities in Azerbaijan”.
Rossotrudnichestvo declares itself as “a leading Russian agency whose main mission is to strengthen Russia’s humanitarian influence in the world.” The organization also has offices called “Russian House” in up to 71 countries worldwide.
Commenting on the closure of “Russian House”, an undisclosed source said to media that “Azerbaijan doesn’t need any external assistance, especially when it is provided based on non-transparent schemes, and organization’s structure has clearly espionage nature."
Earlier in January, a privately owned Azerbaijani television channel, Baku TV aired a report accusing the Russian House in Baku of engaging in anti-Azerbaijani espionage activities under the announced cultural and humanitarian work. The report which alleged that the Russian cultural center was acting as an intelligence hub, particularly stated: “Unfortunately, this is no longer the ‘Russian House’ but a house of Russian espionage.”
On January 27, Azerbaijani Ambassador Rahman Mustafayev was summoned to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Russian side emphasized the unconditional importance of building relations between Russia and Azerbaijan in the spirit of strategic partnership and alliance, based on the Declaration signed at the highest level on February 22, 2022, in the national interests of both states.
In this regard, concern was expressed over a series of recent anti-Russian publications in Azerbaijani media, as well as the disinformation campaign against the ‘Russian House’ in Baku. The baseless nature of these accusations was underscored,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.
An online magazine Intelligence Online called Rossotrudnichestvo a “Russian soft power agency” that is “a highly versatile tool in Russia's public relations armoury that has close links with the intelligence services.”
The agency’s head, Yevgeny Primakov, is a grandson of Yevgeny Primakov, former Russian Foreign Minister and Prime Minister, who was “a Soviet and Russian spy and politician,” according to Wikipedia.
Azerbaijan has pledged to play a leading role in advancing international sustainability efforts as it prepares to host the 2026 World Environment Day and the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku.
The 71st meeting of the European Regional Commission of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) has begun in Baku, gathering over 150 delegates from nearly 40 countries to discuss sustainable tourism and climate action.
President Ilham Aliyev has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, highlighting the holiday’s spiritual and unifying significance.
Azerbaijan has been officially announced as the host country for World Environment Day in 2026 during a UNEP event held on South Korea’s Jeju Island.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed bilateral cooperation and regional connectivity in a phone call on June 4, ahead of Eid al-Adha.
Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults since the war began, striking six regions across Ukraine and killing three emergency workers in Kyiv, as tensions escalated following controversial remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Protey, a Russian telecom equipment developer, installed 4G mobile network systems in Afghanistan last year, a development reported by the Vedomosti business newspaper on Thursday. The systems are designed to provide mobile services for an estimated 10 million people.
Ahead of the IAEA meeting in Vienna, Iran’s foreign minister reaffirmed the country’s refusal to halt uranium enrichment and warned Europe against seeking renewed UN sanctions, calling such efforts a “major strategic mistake.”
The European Union and Ukraine are negotiating a new agreement on agricultural import quotas, aiming to find a balance between pre-war trade limits and the temporary exemptions granted after 2022.
Eid al-Adha, known as the "Festival of Sacrifice," stands as one of Islam's most significant celebrations, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah's command.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least seven people and leaving 30 injured, according to emergency services.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture early Monday, causing no reported injuries or damage, and no tsunami warning was issued, officials confirmed.
Federal authorities have arrested 14 suspects in Los Angeles linked to an Armenian organized crime ring accused of stealing $30 million in COVID relief and Small Business loans intended to support American taxpayers.
Ahead of the IAEA meeting in Vienna, Iran’s foreign minister reaffirmed the country’s refusal to halt uranium enrichment and warned Europe against seeking renewed UN sanctions, calling such efforts a “major strategic mistake.”
Officials from Turkmenistan and the Republic of Türkiye held comprehensive consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan today, reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral ties across political, diplomatic, economic, and cultural spheres.
Armenia's unchecked mining pollution poses a severe environmental crisis, imperilling water resources and health across the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. Heavy metal contamination in shared rivers threatens ecosystems and human well-being, demanding urgent international action.
China approved 11.29 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-fired power capacity in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing the 10.34 GW approved in the entire first half of 2024, according to a new report released by Greenpeace on Thursday.
Chinese authorities have warned of increased flood risks across northern China during the summer months, predicting more frequent and intense storms between June and August.
Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults since the war began, striking six regions across Ukraine and killing three emergency workers in Kyiv, as tensions escalated following controversial remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Protey, a Russian telecom equipment developer, installed 4G mobile network systems in Afghanistan last year, a development reported by the Vedomosti business newspaper on Thursday. The systems are designed to provide mobile services for an estimated 10 million people.
Ahead of the IAEA meeting in Vienna, Iran’s foreign minister reaffirmed the country’s refusal to halt uranium enrichment and warned Europe against seeking renewed UN sanctions, calling such efforts a “major strategic mistake.”
The European Union and Ukraine are negotiating a new agreement on agricultural import quotas, aiming to find a balance between pre-war trade limits and the temporary exemptions granted after 2022.
Eid al-Adha, known as the "Festival of Sacrifice," stands as one of Islam's most significant celebrations, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah's command.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment