Russia condemns Azerbaijan’s statements on the regional elections held in the Moscow-claimed regions of Ukraine – Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Zakharova also criticised Armenia’s statements on the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan’s words jeopardise the peaceful settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The comments by a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman reflect a sharp deterioration in relations with both countries. Amid the war with Ukraine, the Kremlin is trying to maintain its influence in the region.
Over the weekend, Azerbaijan called the vote conducted by Russia in partially seized Ukrainian regions a “sham election.” The statement said the elections took place in territories internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, therefore the vote was legally invalid.
Zakharova informed journalists that Russia had filed a diplomatic protest because Azerbaijan’s statements “did not correspond to the allied nature of relations between the countries.”
We proceed from the fact that Baku should treat the territorial integrity of our country with the same respect that Baku expects from us when it comes to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
Over the past week, tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan have increased significantly. Each side accuses the other of concentrating troops near the borders.
Yerevan accused Moscow, a regional peacemaker, of being unable to protect Armenia from what it called Azerbaijani aggression.
Zakharova claimed that Armenia’s recent statements were “unfriendly” and could hinder a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh crisis.
Nagorno-Karabakh is an internationally recognised part of Azerbaijan. However, it is populated mainly by ethnic Armenians who left Baku during armed conflicts in the 1990s.
