Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has sent a diplomatic note to Russia’s MFA regarding the registration demand for the Russian Information and Culture Center (Russian House) in Baku.
On February 6, Ayxan Hacızadə, spokesperson for Azerbaijan's MFA, stated that the note was delivered after Russia was informed that Russian House lacked legal registration and was violating Azerbaijani legislation. “Accordingly, based on Azerbaijan’s decision to terminate Russian House’s operations in our country, relevant measures are expected to be taken by Russia,” Hacızadə added.
On the same day, Russian MFA spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed that they had received a diplomatic note from Azerbaijan. During a briefing, she stated that Russia had repeatedly requested the registration of Russian House through various channels over the years but without success. However, Zakharova also noted that they were ready to meet Azerbaijan’s requirements for registering Russian House in Baku.
Yevgeny Primakov, head of the "Rossotrudnichestvo" agency, told "Russia 24" that Russian House in Baku must vacate its rented building within a month and a half. “The owner has urgently decided to sell the building. The owner of an alternative venue under negotiation has also put discussions on hold for now,” Primakov stated.
Asim Mollazade, a member of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s International Relations Committee, told Turan that terminating Rus House’s operations in Azerbaijan was long overdue. “This organization was acting against our national interests. Azerbaijan has taken similar steps regarding the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),” he said.
Mollazade further emphasized that Azerbaijan has sufficient capacity to manage its own partnerships without external entities. “I believe there is no need for 'Rossotrudnichestvo' to function in Azerbaijan as a foreign intelligence front,” he added.
Zakharova dismissed the accusations against Russian House in Baku as "absurd." She claimed that the issue had been deliberately escalated and did not align with the level and potential of Russia-Azerbaijan relations.
Regarding the broader implications of this issue, Mollazade noted that Russia would be displeased if its influence in Azerbaijan diminished. However, he emphasized Azerbaijan’s commitment to a diversified foreign policy, seeking cooperation with all neighboring countries based on mutual interests.
Political analyst Nəsimi Məmmədli told Radio Azadlıq that the closure of Russian House is not the cause of tensions but rather a consequence of already strained relations. “Both sides are now leveraging the tools at their disposal against each other,” he said.
Məmmədli pointed to an increasing trend of tension in Russia-Azerbaijan relations. He highlighted Russia’s refusal to take responsibility for the downing of an Azerbaijani passenger plane in Russian airspace. Despite Azerbaijan’s continued insistence on accountability, Russia has not acknowledged its liability or fulfilled any legal obligations related to the incident.
On December 25, an AZAL plane en route from Baku to Grozny was forced to make an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan. Of the 67 passengers onboard, 38 were killed, and 29 survived. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev later stated that the plane had lost control due to external physical and technical interference in Russian airspace. Kazakhstan’s preliminary investigation report also confirmed that the crash resulted from foreign interference. While Russian President Vladimir Putin called Aliyev to express condolences and apologized for the incident occurring in Russian airspace, Russia has not accepted responsibility. Azerbaijan continues to demand accountability and compensation.
Məmmədli argued that tensions between Baku and Moscow stem from multiple factors beyond this incident. “Since the 44-day war, several developments have contributed to worsening ties. When Russia deployed peacekeepers to Karabakh, it was not intended to be limited to a five-year mandate. However, due to setbacks in the Ukraine war, Russia was forced to withdraw, allowing Azerbaijan to fully restore control over the region and eliminate separatism. This directly contradicted Moscow’s strategic interests.”
He concluded that the so-called strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Russia now exists only on paper. “The likelihood of relations deteriorating further is increasing.”
On February 22, 2022, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the "Declaration on Allied Interaction" in Moscow, pledging enhanced cooperation in political, economic, and other spheres.
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