BAKU, July 18 — Azerbaijan has refused to participate in the meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Economic Council in Moscow, citing unresolved tensions with Russia following deadly raids in Yekaterinburg and the downing of an AZAL aircraft.
According to sources cited by Trend, Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov — typically the country’s representative at such meetings — will not attend. The decision is reportedly in protest of Russia’s failure to adequately address a series of serious incidents involving Azerbaijani citizens and assets.
On June 27, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) carried out raids in Yekaterinburg targeting homes of Azerbaijanis. During the operation, two Azerbaijani brothers — Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov — were killed, and several others detained. Azerbaijani authorities have condemned the raids, describing them as ethnically motivated violence and extrajudicial killings.
“The acts of violence, vigilantism, and targeted killings by Russian law enforcement based on ethnic identity have justifiably provoked public outrage in Azerbaijan,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement earlier this month.
Tensions have also remained high over an incident at the end of last year, when an aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) was shot down in Russian airspace. Baku has demanded a full and transparent investigation, accountability for those responsible, and compensation for the victims.
The Azerbaijani government has criticized Moscow for failing to act decisively and accused Russian officials and media of launching a disinformation campaign to distort the circumstances of the incident.
“The lack of meaningful steps, attempts to twist the truth, and an ongoing smear campaign against Azerbaijan are unacceptable,” the Foreign Ministry stated. “A transparent investigation and justice for the victims are essential to restoring trust and addressing the deteriorating atmosphere in bilateral relations.”
The boycott marks another blow to the already strained Azerbaijan-Russia relationship and raises questions about the future of Azerbaijani engagement within the CIS framework.
