Russia’s Investigative Committee to issue report on deadly raid of Azerbaijanis

The central office of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has requested a report concerning an investigation into serious crimes committed in previous years in the Sverdlovsk Region, following the deaths of two individuals during a recent law enforcement operation.

Multiple Azerbaijani-origin Russian citizens were detained as part of an investigation into a criminal case dating back to 2001 and two were killed. The probe has now been placed under the direct supervision of the central office, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

Head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, has instructed acting head of the committee’s Investigative Department for the Sverdlovsk Region A.D. Nadbitov submitted a detailed report on the situation.

The development follows a raid carried out in the early hours of June 27 by the Federal Security Service (FSB) targeting members of the Safarov family — Russian citizens of Azerbaijani descent originally from Azerbaijan’s Aghdam district. The operation, reportedly linked to the 2001 murder of a café owner, began at around 5:00 a.m. local time.

During the raid, two brothers — Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov — were killed inside their home, and several other family members were allegedly beaten. Four — Akif, Ayaz, Kamal, and Mazahir Safarov — remain in critical condition in hospital. In total, nine individuals were detained, while dozens more were temporarily held and later released.

In response, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a strong diplomatic protest and called on Russia to conduct a thorough investigation and hold those responsible for the violence accountable.

By Sabina Mammadli