The Kremlin considers the termination of the Russian House in Baku as “a misunderstanding” and does not rule out raising this issue even at talks of Russian and Azerbaijani leaders
"We regret to hear it. We believe that it is a misunderstanding that can be resolved through bilateral contacts," – said Russian President’s spokesperson to reporters on Friday.
He noted that Moscow intends to “address this issue through dialogue, guided by the traditionally strong relations with Baku.”
Azerbaijan has suspended the activities of “Rossotrudnichestvo”, a Russian agency with main mission to “strengthen Russia’s humanitarian influence in the world” via its representative offices called “Russian House” in over 70 countries.
Local media have linked the decision to terminate the "Rossotrudnichestvo" agency in Baku to accusations of alleged involvement in anti-Azerbaijani espionage activities, disguised under the guise of cultural and humanitarian work.
Aykhan Hajizada, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that a note verbale was sent to the Russian side on February 3, 2025, terminating the activities of “Russian House.”
“The Russian Information and Cultural Center – “Russian House,” the representative office of “Rossotrudnichestvo” in Azerbaijan, did not have registration as a legal entity, and the organization has been seriously violating Azerbaijani legislation,” – he said. “The activities of such organizations in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan are regulated in accordance with national legislation, the principle of reciprocity between countries, and the requirements of agreements reached on a bilateral basis.”
Baku expects that Moscow will "take appropriate measures in this direction" following Azerbaijan's decision to terminate the activities of the "Russian House" in the country.
Russian cultural agency’s head, Yevgeny Primakov said in his interview to a Russian state TV that they had applied to Azerbaijan’s authorities for registration of a Russian information and cultural center in Baku, but their requests remained unanswered.
"The point is that the Russian embassy in the Republic of Azerbaijan, our representative office, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have repeatedly reached out to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the years, requesting assistance with registration. We were always ready to cooperate, but our calls remained unanswered," – Primakov said.
He recalled a previous escalation on the issue in 2017, when Baku demanded the agency's "immediate" registration, but after bilateral consultations, Azerbaijan’s authorities “accepted” situation as it is.
“We [“Rossotrudnichestvo”] are a federal executive body, and the Russian Information and Cultural Center is a Russian organization, so there is no regulatory mechanism in the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan to register the center as a local legal entity. Azerbaijan’s foreign affairs and justice ministries accepted it,” – Primakov added.
Meanwhile, the center must vacate its premises within six weeks, as the property owner has decided to sell the building.
The Kremlin intends to address the issue at every possible level of Azerbaijan-Russia communication, including during talks between the two leaders.
"We will definitely raise this issue with our colleagues at all levels, even at the highest level. We do not rule out that this issue could be discussed during a dialogue between the two heads of state," the Kremlin spokesperson said.
Small businesses across Russia are increasingly feeling the impact of tighter internet restrictions, including ...
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed the island’s commitment to sovereignty and regional ...
The global housing crisis has reached what UN officials describe as “staggering” proportions, with nearly...
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for ...
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanita...
Small businesses across Russia are increasingly feeling the impact of tighter internet restrictions, including limits on the messaging app Telegram, stricter controls on virtual private networks, and repeated mobile internet outages.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war as well as the bodies of fallen soldiers, on Friday (15 May). The swap came as Ukranian officials said Moscow had carried out its largest aerial attack over 48 hours since the conflict started.
At least 12 people, including two children, were killed in Kyiv after Russia launched massive overnight drone and missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital and other regions, officials said.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Uzbekistan has launched a nationwide environmental initiative titled ‘Day Without Cars’, which will take place twice a month as part of efforts to improve air quality and reduce vehicle emissions.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum will open in Baku on Sunday, bringing together government representatives, city leaders, urban planners, international organisations, businesses and civil society to discuss the future of sustainable urban development.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency, has travelled to Baku to attend the 13th World Urban Forum, where climate change and safer cities will be discussed.
Children laughed, applauded and watched wide-eyed as animated characters lit up the screen at the opening of the ninth Animafilm International Animation Festival in Baku, where filmmakers and audiences from around the world gathered to celebrate the growing influence of animated cinema.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment