Kremlin expresses regret over Azerbaijani backlash after Yekaterinburg arrests

The Kremlin on Sunday voiced regret over Azerbaijan's reaction to the recent arrests of several Azerbaijani nationals in Russia’s Yekaterinburg region, after a controversial police operation tied to a decades-old criminal case sparked diplomatic tension between the two countries.

Speaking to journalists, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the decisions made by Azerbaijani authorities in response to the incident but urged continued dialogue to clarify the nature and legal basis of the operation.

“We sincerely regret the decisions that were taken,” Peskov said. “It is probably important to continue work to explain the reasons and nature of the events that, in the opinion of the Azerbaijani side, served as the reason for such demarches. We believe that everything that is happening is connected with the work of law enforcement agencies, and this cannot and should not be a reason for such a reaction.”

Tensions escalated after Russian special forces conducted a series of raids on Azerbaijani households in Yekaterinburg on June 27, detaining nine individuals in connection with an unresolved criminal case dating back to the early 2000s. According to Azerbaijani state news agency AZERTAC, the operation resulted in the deaths of two Azerbaijani nationals, brothers Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, and left several others injured and hospitalized.

The arrests have drawn sharp criticism in Azerbaijan, where civil society figures and officials have questioned the timing, legality, and reported use of force in the operation. Allegations have emerged that some confessions were extracted under duress, with detainees and their families claiming they were threatened or physically coerced.

Court proceedings began the same day in Yekaterinburg, but were immediately closed to the public at the request of prosecutors. Six individuals have since been issued detention orders, including Mazahir, Akif, and Ayaz Safarov, who each received 22-day detention measures. Other detainees, including Shahin Lalayev, Ahliman Ganjiyev, and Bakir Safarov, were ordered detained for shorter periods ranging from 72 hours to three days.

Local media footage has shown at least one detainee with visible injuries. Legal representatives and Azerbaijan’s acting Consul General Shohrat Mustafayev have attended court sessions, raising concerns about the defendants’ physical condition and access to fair legal proceedings.

As hearings continue and diplomatic sensitivities grow, the Kremlin’s remarks suggest an effort to contain bilateral fallout while asserting the independence of Russian law enforcement procedures. However, the episode may test the already fragile dynamics between Moscow and Baku amid broader regional shifts.

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