Farid Shafiyev: Tension with Russia not caused by Azerbaijan

The tension with Russia has not been caused by Azerbaijan, Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Management Board of the Center for the Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) told journalists at the 13th Meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum.

According to Report, Shafiyev recalled that in December 2024, an Azerbaijani plane was shot down by Russia:

"Subsequently, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg faced a series of unpleasant incidents. In addition, Azerbaijan experienced a major cyberattack in February, and SOCAR"s warehouses in Ukraine were targeted. These events suggest that the other side is not actively seeking to de-escalate tensions."

Shafiyev also noted that a meeting took place in Astrakhan at the level of Deputy Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan and Russia. He said: "While the other side claims they do not wish for tension, their actions suggest they expect Azerbaijan to take the initiative in restoring relations. However, they must also take concrete steps to reduce tensions. If this occurs, we could see a significant improvement in the situation."