Russia accuses Ukraine of plotting ethnic sabotage against Azerbaijanis

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is allegedly planning to exploit recent tensions between Moscow and Baku by orchestrating provocations aimed at inciting ethnic strife, using paid defectors to target Azerbaijani citizens and institutions in Russia, Russian officials claim.

At a press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that, according to available intelligence, the SBU intends to manipulate the strained Russian-Azerbaijani relations to sow interethnic hostility, Caliber.Az reports.

“We have information indicating that the Ukrainian Security Service is preparing to use the current disagreements between Russia and Azerbaijan to inflame hatred and animosity on ethnic grounds,” Zakharova stated. “Specifically, there are plans to enlist defectors from Russia, who would agree— for financial compensation— to carry out acts of sabotage against Azerbaijani citizens, diplomatic missions, and cultural facilities operating under the Russian flag.”

Zakharova warned that, if such provocations are successful, the SBU aims to amplify the incidents through disinformation campaigns. “The goal is to spread viral narratives of alleged Russian aggression in Azerbaijani, Turkish, and European media outlets,” she said.

The backdrop to these alleged plots is a sharp deterioration in Russian-Azerbaijani relations that began in June 2025, after a controversial police operation in Yekaterinburg targeted members of the Azerbaijani community. Approximately 50 ethnic Azerbaijanis were detained, with reports of mistreatment and the deaths of two brothers from injuries sustained during the raid.

The incident sparked widespread anger in Azerbaijan, triggering a diplomatic crisis between the two nations. The fallout included reciprocal arrests and the imposition of media restrictions by both sides.

By Tamilla Hasanova