Baku accuses Russian media of spreading anti-Azerbaijani propaganda

A large-scale anti-Azerbaijani information campaign has been launched from the territory of the Russian Federation, said an official statement by the Commission of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan against Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats.

The commission stated that the coordinated disinformation effort began shortly after the broadcast of an interview with President Ilham Aliyev on Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya television channel on August 27, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“Monitoring has revealed that the President of Azerbaijan’s response — based on historical facts — to a question by the host regarding the Zangezur corridor was taken out of context and presented to the Russian audience in a falsified or distorted manner,” the statement reads.

According to the commission, the campaign has been orchestrated to fuel anti-Azerbaijani sentiment within Russian society and is being disseminated through various media channels, including television networks, online news platforms, and social media — with the support of radical individuals possessing notable public influence.

“The campaign heavily utilizes platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X — whose operations are banned or restricted in Russia — as well as social media profiles and bots created under the names of citizens of other countries,” the statement continues.

The commission further noted that a particularly concerning aspect of the campaign is the strategic targeting of the Azerbaijani segment of social media with paid advertisements. These advertisements reportedly contain threatening messages that challenge Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Milli Majlis commission stressed the importance of addressing hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns that seek to destabilize the country’s domestic discourse and international standing. The statement concludes with a reaffirmation of Azerbaijan’s commitment to safeguarding its national interests in the face of foreign interference.

By Vafa Guliyeva