Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia
The cracks in relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are deepening. Although the calls against Azerbaijan began in the Russian media, later Russian deputies and experts also joined this "choir".
Shooting down of a passenger plane and Russia's reaction
After the tragedy of the downing of an Azerbaijani passenger plane by a Russian missile, Russian circles surprisingly first denied and then covered up the incident. Although an apology was issued after President Ilham Aliyev's persistent insistence, a campaign of black PR and even threats was launched against Azerbaijan.
New pressures on migrants and threats against Azerbaijan
For example, with the tightening of regulations against migrants in Russia, pressure has begun to increase, especially against Azerbaijanis living in this country. Russian Telegram channels create an image as if only Azerbaijani migrants live in Russia. In some cases, even Azerbaijanis who are Russian citizens become targets.
Sergey Markov, director of the Center for Political Studies, told APA that he considers statements that harm friendly and allied relations unacceptable.
"Responsible Russian statesmen, public figures and deputies call for such irresponsible statements not to be made in order to avoid violating national peace in the country and to avoid spoiling good relations between Russia and its traditional friends and allies, for example, Azerbaijan," Markov said.
Protest from Sergey Markov
Sergey Markov believes that "there are quite influential Turkophobic, including Azerbaijani-phobic, forces in Russia": "They are trying to use the current period of relations to create as many conflicts as possible between Russia and Azerbaijan. They also want to create conflicts between Russia and Turkey."
"It is important to note that numerous statements are directed not only against migration, even illegal migration but against Azerbaijani citizens of Russia in general. This is unacceptable. It turns out that these statements call for discrimination on national grounds, which is a gross violation of numerous laws of the Russian Federation. The rights of Azerbaijanis who are citizens of Russia must be protected on the same level as the rights of citizens of the Russian state of other nationalities," Markov added.
Anti-Azerbaijani statements in the Russian State Duma
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its position on Nikolai Valuev, the first deputy chairman of the Tourism Committee of the Russian State Duma, who drew attention with such a xenophobic speech.
The Ministry's press secretary, Aykhan Hajizadeh, stated that the insulting statements and threatening views of Nikolai Valuev against the Azerbaijani state and people and our country are completely unacceptable.
Aykhan Hajizadeh emphasized that the deputy's name has been included in the list of persons banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan and his entry into our country has been banned.
"In general, we would like to state that this is not the first case of the inclusion of deputies of the Russian State Duma in the list of "undesirable persons". For example, it should be noted that previously, Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Work with the CIS of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, who was acting against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and Vitaly Milonov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Family Protection, were also included in the relevant list as "undesirable persons" in Azerbaijan.
We regretfully note that all these deputies acting against our country are members of the ruling party of Russia, the United Russia (Yedinaya Rossiya) party."
Suspicious moments in the activities of the "Russian House"
The campaign against Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis in Russia accelerated after the process of closing the "Russian House" was launched in Baku.
According to political commentator Elkhan Shahinoglu, Russia is trying to promote its interests in various countries using "soft power": "However, after Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine, it has been difficult for Moscow to realize this. Because there is the fact of occupation and the tragedy of the people. It is impossible to gloss over this. For example, in the 2000s, the "Russia Today" channel and the "Sputnik" agency were established in Moscow. Through these two, the Russian authorities mainly prepared reports and disseminated news in Western countries in accordance with Kremlin propaganda. However, after the war of aggression against Ukraine began, the offices of the "Russia Today" channel and the "Sputnik" agency were closed in Western countries. Similarly, the "Russian House" established by the Russian Cooperation Organization is a different form of soft power. While the goal of the "Russian House", which began operating in Baku in 2011, was to serve the development of cultural and humanitarian relations between the two countries, one of its areas of activity was to strengthen cooperation with the "fifth column" affiliated with Russia in Azerbaijan."
Essay "competition" and "Georgian ribbon"
The expert recalled that among the "projects" of the "Russian House" were holding a writing competition at one of the universities in Baku "in memory" of Yevgeny Primakov, one of the authors of the January 20 massacre, and distributing St. George ribbons in Baku, which promote occupation and are considered one of the symbols of the Russian empire: "These were steps taken against Azerbaijan. Why has the "Russian House" in Baku not held any events on February 26, the day of remembrance of the Khojaly genocide, in these years? Russia does not need the "Russian House" to hold poetry days. Whether it's Chekhov, Tolstoy or Pushkin, famous Russian writers and poets - you can also learn about their work on the Internet."
Russia's call on the media in Baku
"Azerbaijan doesn't need the US's USAID organization, nor does it need the activities of the "Russian House". There is an advisor on cultural issues in the embassy of any country. If that advisor wants to hold an event, he can do it by agreement with the relevant structures of Azerbaijan. Doesn't every country have its own "house" in Azerbaijan?" Elkhan Shahinoglu asked.
In his opinion, the "Russian House" did not serve to strengthen relations between the two countries: "The purpose of the "Russian House" was different. I believe that following the "Russian House", the activities of media resources belonging to Russia in Baku should also be terminated."
What is the "Russian House"?
The "Russian House" (Rossotrudnichestvo), which has about 90 offices in more than 70 countries around the world, was established in 1925 by the special services of the USSR. These "houses", which are used as "soft power", place official and unofficial employees of the Russian special services in the countries under the guise of "promoting Russian culture and literature, the Russian language", are responsible for building a local network and working with society in favor of Russia.
For example, the Danish newspaper "Information" wrote: "The "Russian House" in Denmark, presented as a center of science and culture, has served as a cover for Russian intelligence for many years. Journalists who examined photo and video materials of events held here have identified some of the expelled spies."
In which countries have "Russian houses" been closed?
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the activities of the "Russian House" or similar Russian cultural centers in Europe and other countries were suspended or restricted.
These countries include Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, France, Great Britain, Georgia, etc. In almost all of these countries, it was alleged that Russian-owned cultural centers were engaged in espionage activities and interfered in the internal affairs of the country, not in their own areas of activity.
The Azerbaijani side also sent an official notification to Russia through diplomatic channels about the termination of the activities of the "Russian House" in the country. After that, the "Russian House" ceased its activities.
By the way, Azerbaijan also stated that it made this decision precisely to protect national interests.
The threat of "ethnic separatism" for Azerbaijan
After Azerbaijan's position on the closure of the Russian House, Russian experts and Telegram channels began to threaten Azerbaijan. The threats center on pressure on Azerbaijanis in Russia, blackmailing economic relations between the two countries.
The most incredible thing was that Russia proudly reminded through Telegram channels of what it had done in the past regarding ethnic separatism, its traditional weapon.
The media of this country, which prides itself on its "ability" to create civil conflict and whose weapon against peoples is ethnic separatism, openly declares that it is the author and sponsor of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe "Sadval" organization created by a group of separatists. It even threatens that it can "revive this dead body" again.
All citizens of Azerbaijan, one of the rare places distinguished by its tolerance and multicultural values, where there is no ethnic discrimination, and even the Russians living here, know very well that Russia created the Karabakh separatists, the once fake and toy "Sadval" and the "Talysh-Mugan Republic" nonsense. At those moments, all citizens of this country were able to demonstrate exemplary unity.
