Kremlin condemns Azerbaijan's move to cancel Russian cultural events following police raids on Azerbaijanis
MOSCOW, June 30 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that it regretted a decision by Azerbaijan to cancel Russian cultural events in the South Caucasus country following police raids which affected Azerbaijani citizens living in Russia.
Azerbaijan's cultural ministry said on Sunday it was cancelling all concerts, exhibitions and other events planned by Russian state and private organisations due to "the demonstrative targeted and extrajudicial killings and acts of violence committed by Russian law enforcement agencies against Azerbaijanis on ethnic grounds in Yekaterinburg."
Several dozen Azerbaijanis were detained in the Russian industrial city in the Urals last week in connection with an unsolved murder case. Two of those held died after being detained and several others suffered injuries.
The Kremlin said it was important to properly understand the events leading up to Baku's decision and that Russia was interested in further developing relations with Azerbaijan.
Russian nationalist bloggers have said the police were merely doing their job and fighting crime.
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