Baku’s neutrality stands firm — humanitarian aid is transparent Tabloid fantasy about fighter jets vs reality

Azerbaijan has once again found itself at the centre of another wave of media hype. This time, the trigger was a publication by the British tabloid Daily Express, which claimed that Baku was allegedly sending Su-22 aircraft to Ukraine “re-labelled as humanitarian aid”.

The wording is sensational — and the intention is obvious: to create a headline-grabbing story out of nothing. But, as is often the case with flashy titles, there is neither substance nor evidence behind it. This is just another example of attempts to drag Azerbaijan into processes with which it has nothing to do.

This story looks entirely predictable, especially considering that the campaign to portray Azerbaijan as involved in the Russia–Ukraine conflict began almost at the very moment the war escalated in February 2022. And every time the pattern is the same: first comes an accusation framed in the classic “a source has told us” style, followed by a suggestive insinuation — and then silence once it comes to verifying the claims. No facts, no documents, no routes, no photos, no satellite images, no flight logs — not a single piece of credible evidence.

Yet it is precisely this lack of evidence that keeps such publications alive: their goal is to provoke an emotional reaction, not to provide readers with facts.

Those familiar with the logic of the regional security architecture understand perfectly well that if Azerbaijan were actually supplying military equipment to Ukraine, Moscow’s reaction would be immediate. Russian intelligence services maintain constant oversight of any movement of weapons heading toward the conflict zone. Under such conditions, it is impossible to conceal even a small shipment of military equipment — let alone fighter jets. The scenario described by Daily Express collapses under the most basic logical scrutiny and is anything but new.

As noted earlier, attempts to attribute military supplies to Ukraine to Baku have appeared before. Sometimes it is about “mysterious drones,” sometimes “secret convoys,” sometimes “reconfigured cargo.” The pattern is always the same: the louder the accusation, the further it is from reality. And the key point is consistently omitted — Azerbaijan’s official position remains unchanged and easily verifiable. From the very beginning of the Russia–Ukraine war, the country has adhered to a clear policy of neutrality, has not taken part in military operations, and has not supplied weapons to either side.

Baku limits its support for Ukraine strictly to humanitarian assistance, as well as gas supplies that are carried out openly and officially, without any attempt to conceal routes or destinations. Here is a recent example. In August of this year, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order allocating 2 million dollars, in manat equivalent, to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

“Relying on the principles of humanism, the Republic of Azerbaijan provides humanitarian assistance to many countries of the world on a bilateral and multilateral basis. In connection with the situation that has developed in Ukraine in recent years, the Azerbaijani state has sent humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people several times,” the document states.

And it is precisely the transparency of humanitarian flows that makes them an easy target for falsifications: it is simple to “layer” fantasies about weapons shipments on top of them. This is how the fiction about “aircraft [...] are re-labelled as humanitarian aid” emerges, even though such an operation is technically impossible — cargo specifications, control documents, and international logistics involve too many mandatory procedures to bypass unnoticed.

As Caliber.Az was told by credible sources, the Daily Express publication is a classic example of creating a sensation for the sake of traffic. This is how the tabloid genre survives. Such articles make no attempt to understand the balance of interests in the region, verify information through independent channels, or analyse official statements. When confirmations are lacking, a familiar logic kicks in: if something can be imagined, then it can be published. And in a climate of heightened interest in the war, any such claim spreads quickly — even if it is 100% based on speculation.

However, it is important to pay attention to another aspect. Such materials do not appear in a vacuum. Information attacks on Azerbaijan intensify during periods of geopolitical turbulence, when Baku takes independent decisions that do not align with the expectations of external actors. Its neutrality in the Russia–Ukraine war irritates those circles that would like to open a “second front” or make the South Caucasus more dependent on certain political vectors. Creating the image of a “hidden arms supplier” is a tool of pressure, aimed at undermining Azerbaijan’s diplomatic position.

The Daily Express scenario is yet another attempt to impose a role on Azerbaijan that contradicts its policies. However, such fabrications tend to dissolve quickly when confronted with facts and official explanations. Baku has repeatedly demonstrated that it follows a calm, measured approach: neutrality remains steadfast, humanitarian aid is transparent, and energy cooperation is stable.

In this context, it becomes clear that the media noise around “aircraft,” “secret cargoes,” and “military routes” holds value only for those who mould it from clay for cheap clicks or political speculation.