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Time of India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Sworn enemies join forces against Putin — Russian TV warns Baku could taken in 72 hours
Azerbaijan and Armenia, longtime rivals, are now finding common ground. Interestingly, this common consensus is not in friendship, but in their mutual frustration with Russia. Tensions between Moscow and Baku have risen dramatically, while Armenia indicates that it may no longer trust its former ally. In the midst of rising tensions with Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia are moving closer together, challenging Moscow's long-held influence in the South Caucasus. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Healthcare Data Science Cybersecurity CXO Degree Project Management healthcare PGDM Public Policy MBA Artificial Intelligence Technology Operations Management Finance MCA Product Management Data Science Others Management Data Analytics Leadership others Digital Marketing Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis in Healthcare Financial Management & Investing Strategic Management in Healthcare Process Design & Analysis Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Program in Healthcare Management Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details What triggered Azerbaijan's anger toward Moscow? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Pieces of Clothing you should Ditch over 40 Learn More Undo A series of diplomatic spats, arrests, and territorial disputes have brought Baku and Yerevan closer together, jeopardizing key Russian trade routes and weakening Russia's grip on the region. Seven citizens of the former Soviet republic were arrested in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg last month, marking the beginning of the situation. Moscow held them as part of an investigation into 25 years of mafia-style killings. Live Events ALSO READ: Reddit down app not working: Thousands affected as site struggles to stay online, issues with login failures Two Azerbaijani suspects died in custody within a few days. Others showed up in court with obvious bruises and injuries. An angry response came from Azerbaijan. Russian cultural events were canceled, a group of Russian IT workers were arrested and charged with cybercrime and drug trafficking, and the Kremlin-owned Sputnik news agency's Baku bureau was raided. Could Russia really threaten Baku with invasion? The threat that Baku could be "taken in three days" was then broadcast on Russian state television, reiterating language from prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, the likelihood of war is low. However, the rift is real and dangerous for Moscow because Armenia is siding with its old adversary to drive Putin out of the South Caucasus after a 30-year history of bloody wars with Azerbaijan, as per a report by The Telegraph. Why are Armenia and Azerbaijan suddenly on the same page? Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on July 10. The subject of their direct discussions was the Zangezur Corridor , a proposed route that would connect southern Armenia with Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave. The corridor would be a part of the "Middle Corridor" trade route from China and Central Asia to Europe, fulfilling a pan-Turkic dream of physically connecting Azerbaijan with Turkey. As part of the ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) was supposed to keep an eye on the route. However, that agreement is now in jeopardy, though, as President Aliyev wants to remove Moscow from the agreement and give Azerbaijan complete control. Is Armenia moving away from Moscow and toward Turkey? Since Armenia and Turkey do not have formal diplomatic relations, President Pashinyan's visit to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul last month was a significant meeting that marked a shift in momentum. What role does the West want to play in this corridor battle? Although Armenia had previously opposed the Zangezur Corridor, Erdoğan said the country was now taking a "more flexible approach" to it. In an attempt to completely exclude Russia, the West has proposed placing the route under the control of an impartial foreign entity, such as an American or Swiss company, as per a report by The Telegraph. The relationship between Azerbaijan and Moscow has deteriorated, particularly since 2023 when Baku's lightning offensive to retake the Nagorno-Karabakh region saw Russian peacekeepers mainly stand aside. Almost all Armenians left, and Azerbaijan was charged with ethnic cleansing. Since then, President Pashinyan has leaned Western and pursued reconciliation with Baku, arguing that a hostile relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Turkey threatens Armenia's long-term future. What does this mean for Russia's economic interests and trade routes? Recasting the standoff as a Western conspiracy, the Kremlin blames MI6 and Turkey for inciting unrest. Long before Yekaterinburg, Russia accidentally shot down an Azerbaijan Airlines plane last Christmas, which marked the beginning of the cracks. Given that Russia is looking for ways to circumvent Western sanctions, losing access to the corridor could have a significant negative economic impact. As it works behind the scenes to try to save its relations, Russia will continue to blame the West. FAQs Why are Azerbaijan and Russia fighting now? Azerbaijan is furious about the deaths of two of its citizens in Russian custody, as well as Moscow's overall handling of regional affairs. Are Armenia and Azerbaijan truly working together? While not allies, both countries are united in their desire to drive Russian influence out of the South Caucasus.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Two sworn enemies unite against Putin
The collapse of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan came in a series of quick-fire blows. It began with the arrest of seven nationals from the former Soviet republic last month in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. They were held as part of an investigation by Moscow into mafia-style killings dating back 25 years. Within days, two suspects – both ethnic Azerbaijanis – died in custody. Others appeared in court visibly bruised and beaten. Azerbaijan responded with fury. Russian cultural events were cancelled, the Baku bureau of the Kremlin-owned Sputnik news agency was raided, and a group of Russian IT workers was arrested and accused of drug-trafficking and cybercrime. Then came the threat, on Russian state TV, that Baku could be 'taken in three days', echoing rhetoric used before the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. War is unlikely. But the rift is real – and dangerous for Moscow because Armenia, after fighting a series of brutal wars with Azerbaijan over 30 years, is aligning with its old enemy to push Putin out of the South Caucasus. On July 10, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan's president, met Nikol Pashinyan, the prime minister of Armenia. Their direct talks focused on the Zangezur Corridor, a proposed route linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave via southern Armenia. The corridor would fulfil a pan-Turkic dream of physically connecting Azerbaijan with Turkey and would form part of the 'Middle Corridor' trade route from China and Central Asia to Europe. Under the 2020 ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the route was to be monitored by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). But that arrangement is now under threat, with Mr Aliyev wanting to cut Moscow out of the deal and have it fully under Azerbaijani control. 'This is Russia's last big card in the region,' said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi). 'It allows them to control trade routes and leverage relationships with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Losing it would be a major blow.' Although the talks on July 10 were inconclusive, momentum is shifting. Mr Pashinyan visited Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the president of Turkey, in Istanbul last month, a significant meeting given Armenia and Turkey have no formal diplomatic ties. Afterwards, Mr Erdoğan said Armenia was showing a 'more flexible approach' to the Zangezur Corridor, despite having previously opposed it. The West, meanwhile, has floated the idea of putting the route under neutral international control, such as a Swiss or American firm, effectively excluding Russia altogether. Like Azerbaijan's, Armenia's ties with Moscow have frayed – especially since 2023, when Russian peacekeepers largely stood aside during Baku's lightning offensive to retake the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Nearly the entire Armenian population fled, and Azerbaijan was accused of ethnic cleansing. Since then Mr Pashinyan has leaned towards the West and sought reconciliation with Baku, believing that Armenia's long-term future is threatened if it maintains hostile relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey. This is far from popular in Armenia. Mr Pashinyan has one of the lowest approval ratings of any leader in the world and a recent spat with the Armenian Apostolic Church saw two archbishops arrested on charges of plotting against the government. However, Nurlan Aliyev, a senior researcher at the College of Europe, said Mr Pashinyan's geopolitical reshuffling has pushed Baku and Yerevan together regarding their position on Russia. Mr Aliyev said: 'Both countries understand that they need to create a South Caucasus security architecture without Russian participation, one that regional states will support themselves. 'We have not yet seen a final peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but there are positive signs. A final peace agreement would be a major blow to Russia's position in the South Caucasus.' For the president of Azerbaijan, the days of taking orders from Moscow appear to be over. Analysts say he is using the Yekaterinburg incident to not just demand justice, but to assert independence. 'The problem in relations with Baku is serious,' a former high-ranking Russian diplomat told The Telegraph. 'President Aliyev bared his teeth, as any authoritarian leader would. He now sees himself as a triumphant figure. Moscow no longer dictates terms.' Bashir Kitachayev of the Carnegie Centre in Berlin said Baku is taking advantage of the incident to push back against Moscow. 'The deaths of two Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg served merely as a convenient pretext,' he said. 'They [the Azerbaijani authorities] are using the situation to bolster their position at home and abroad by escalating tensions with Moscow.' The shift was underlined by a publicised call between Mr Aliyev and Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, in which they discussed forming closer ties. It was a pointed signal from Azerbaijan, a country long seen as aligned with Moscow. The Kremlin, meanwhile, is trying to reframe the standoff as a Western plot. 'The scriptwriter and conductor of disagreements with Azerbaijan is located outside the post-Soviet space,' said Grigory Karasin, chairman of Russia's international affairs committee. Vladimir Dzhabarov, a Russian senator and former KGB officer, went further by accusing MI6 and Turkey of stirring unrest. In truth, the cracks began long before Yekaterinburg. Last Christmas, Russia mistakenly shot down an Azerbaijan Airlines jet. Baku refused to move past the incident, ultimately forcing Putin to apologise and offer compensation, in a rare diplomatic climbdown. Now fully aware of the power of public confrontation, Baku did not hesitate to retaliate in the wake of the arrests in Yekaterinburg. The fallout also threatens Russia's prized North-South Corridor – a trade route linking Moscow to Iran and India that runs through Azerbaijan. Losing access to the corridor could deliver a real economic blow, especially as Russia seeks ways to get around Western sanctions. Arkady Dubnov, a post-Soviet affairs expert, wrote on Telegram that Moscow's main concern was preserving that corridor. It knows, he said, that alienating Baku completely could threaten those plans. For now, Russia will continue blaming the West while working behind the scenes to try to salvage its relationships. But for Azerbaijan and Armenia – nations once treated like Soviet satellites – they are setting their own course and increasingly, it does not involve Russia. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
