The court found the eight Russian nationals guilty of large-scale drug trafficking, Minval reports. Four of the defendants were sentenced to four years in prison, while the other four received three-year sentences.

According to the publication, all those convicted were detained in 2025 amid deteriorating relations between Moscow and Baku. The diplomatic crisis between the two countries began in December 2024 following the crash of an AZAL airlines aircraft, which reportedly occurred due to the operation of Russian air defense systems. For a long time, Russian authorities declined to accept responsibility for the incident, provoking a sharp reaction from Baku.

In the summer of 2025, tensions escalated further following the detention of members of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia. In response, Russian citizens—including IT specialists, entrepreneurs, and tourists—were detained in Azerbaijan.

Earlier, the first verdicts against Russians in this case were handed down in April and May: Alexander Vaysero was sentenced to four years, while Igor Zabolotsky and Ilnur Valitov each received three years on charges of cyber fraud and money laundering.