The anti-Azerbaijani policy in Russia is continuing, with new developments in the case of Shahin Shykhlinski, a Russian citizen and head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg.
Shykhlinski, who is currently under arrest, has now been formally charged, and his criminal case has been forwarded to court for consideration.
It has emerged that testimony in the criminal case was taken by a senior investigator for especially important cases from Russia’s Investigative Committee, Major of Justice A.S. Karapetyan, who is of Armenian origin. Witness testimony against Shykhlinski regarding an incident that allegedly took place on July 1, 2025, was provided by another law enforcement officer, Karen Kamoevich Tutundzhyan, also of Armenian origin.
According to Shykhlinski’s lawyers, the criminal proceedings are being conducted in a one-sided and biased manner, with numerous contradictions present in the charges brought against him.
It has now become evident that at every stage of the case, individuals of Armenian origin-who are citizens of the Russian Federation-have played an active role. Coincidence? Hardly.
The case of Shahin Shykhlinski once again underscores claims that an anti-Azerbaijani policy is being pursued in Russia at the state level. Leaders and activists of Azerbaijani diaspora organizations are reportedly facing pressure and persecution, including detentions and the revocation of Russian citizenship. Key roles in this process are attributed to the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Investigative Committee.
The stated aim, according to critics, is to neutralize leaders of the Azerbaijani diaspora, bring Azerbaijani communities in Russia under tighter control, and potentially use them against Azerbaijan in the future.
The subsequent arrest of Vidadi Mustafayev, presented by authorities as the chairman of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg following Shykhlinski’s detention, has further fueled controversy. Observers describe the arrest on serious charges as an embarrassment for those behind what they call a staged operation. Attempts to portray Mustafayev as a legitimate diaspora leader in order to assert control over the Azerbaijani community reportedly collapsed when his alleged ties to the criminal underworld became public, leaving authorities with little choice but to detain him.
