2 Russian journalists detained in Azerbaijan

Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia continue following raids on the homes of Azerbaijanis in the city of Yekaterinburg. Azerbaijani police conducted an operation at the Baku office of Sputnik Azerbaijan, a branch of the Russian media network Russia Today. A statement from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that 2 individuals identified as Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers were detained as part of the operation.

AZERBAIJAN'S AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW SUMMONED TO THE MINISTRY

In a statement issued following the detention of the FSB officers, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Moscow had been summoned to the ministry due to Azerbaijan's "unfriendly actions" and the "illegal detention" of Russian journalists in the country. The statement said, "The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs due to the illegal detention of Russian journalists, against whom the Azerbaijani authorities have had no complaints for years, and due to Baku's unfriendly actions."

"WE ARE IN FAVOR OF OUR GOOD RELATIONS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP"

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "We are in favor of our good relations with Azerbaijan continuing to develop."

In operations carried out in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on the morning of June 27, the Azerbaijani-origin Seferov family was targeted. During simultaneous raids on more than 10 addresses, 2 brothers named Ziyaddin and Hüseyin Seferov lost their lives. In the operation, 3 people were hospitalized with serious injuries, and 9 people were detained.

Following the events, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in Baku, Pyotr Volokovıh, to the ministry on Saturday and conveyed to the Russian side their expectation that the incident be investigated and that all perpetrators of the violence be brought to justice as soon as possible.

STATEMENT FROM RUSSIA

In a statement from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, it was stated that the operation was carried out as part of an investigation into certain crimes committed in Yekaterinburg in previous years and was conducted with the support of the Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) of the Russian National Guard. While it was noted that searches were conducted at the addresses of the detained individuals, no information was provided regarding the loss of life that occurred during the operation.