Baku is ready to continue developing allied cooperation relations with Moscow, but this is hindered by the negative information background in the Russian media towards Azerbaijan, the latter’s ambassador to Russia, Rahman Mustafayev, told RTVI.

“The development of [Azerbaijan-Russia] allied cooperation and the implementation of the provisions of the declaration of February 22, 2022, which is the basis of our relations, are complicated by the extremely negative information background towards Azerbaijan, which is purposefully created by some Russian analysts, bloggers, and journalists in their social networks and media,” Mustafayev noted.

He added that “today, at least 96 Russian news portals, Telegram and YouTube channels and other media outlets with a multi-million audience, periodically spread theories about Azerbaijan as an ‘unfriendly’ state for Russia, and this number is growing every day.”

“Through diplomatic channels, we [i.e. Azerbaijan] have drawn the attention of the Russian side to the specific facts of the offensive and provocative statements being made against our country, its people and leadership, which harm our strategic partnership and allied relations. We consider this situation absolutely abnormal and unacceptable, and we expect Moscow’s principled response and concrete steps to correct it,” the Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia said.