August 1, 2025 – Baku, Azerbaijan — Russia needs to accept the reality that it has been pushed out of the South Caucasus, said Azerbaijani political analyst Professor Gabil Huseynli in comments to Report, responding to a TASS article that referred to the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi by its Soviet-era name, Stepanakert.
“Russia is clearly trying to provoke tensions in Azerbaijan and reignite instability around Karabakh,” said Huseynli.
“These are blatant provocations that will yield no results. Moscow is well aware that it no longer has the capacity to alter the regional dynamics. In essence, it has been expelled from the South Caucasus.”
The expert noted that Azerbaijan now plays a decisive role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the region:
“Azerbaijan holds a dominant position, supported by strong allies like Turkey and Pakistan. President Erdogan has already signaled to Moscow that there are limits it should not cross. Russia’s attempts to regain its former ‘viceroy’ role in the Caucasus are futile—Moscow lacks the necessary resources, and even countries like Armenia are rejecting its influence.”
Huseynli added that Moscow’s reaction to the removal of the Ivan Aivazovsky bust in Khankendi, which Russia labeled an “unfriendly act,” reflects its frustration and isolation.
He also predicted a new phase of intensified warfare between Russia and Ukraine in the coming days, which, according to him, would end in Ukraine’s victory:
“Ultimately, aggressive and manipulative Russia will come to understand that it has no place among free and independent nations.”
The controversy over Khankendi follows a growing diplomatic rift between Baku and Moscow. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry recently demanded an apology from TASS for using the Armenian name “Stepanakert” in a report, warning that continued use of distorted toponyms could lead Baku to refer to Russian cities by their historic non-Russian names.
