Baku accuses Russian TV of "serious provocation" with separatist Karabakh map

On May 8, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan condemned what it described as a “serious provocation” after Russia’s state-owned Channel One Russia aired a map depicting the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh” entity during the “Vremya Pokazhet” programme.

In a statement issued in response to a media inquiry, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada said the broadcast, aired on May 6, featured a “distorted map of the Republic of Azerbaijan” and promoted “outdated, false, and separatism-promoting narratives.”

“The display of a distorted map of the Republic of Azerbaijan during the ‘Vremya Pokazhet’ programme aired on May 6 by the Russian Federation’s state-owned Channel One, including the reference to the non-existent so-called ‘Nagorno-Karabakh,’ constitutes a serious provocation and an unacceptable act of political manipulation,” Hajizada said.

He stressed that Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity had been “fully restored” and recognised by the international community, including Russia.

“Against the backdrop of repeated statements by the Russian side affirming respect for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and emphasizing that these issues are never subject to question, the dissemination of outdated, false, and separatism-promoting narratives on a Russian state television channel stands in stark contradiction to the spirit of Azerbaijan-Russia relations, as well as to the principles of mutual respect and good-neighborly relations,” he added.

Hajizada described the actions of the broadcaster as “irresponsible and biased,” saying such conduct by a state-owned media outlet was “unacceptable.”

“We expect the Russian side to provide a clear explanation regarding this matter and to take necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” he said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev