A deadly Russian police raid on an alleged Azerbaijani crime ring has prompted a major diplomatic flare-up between the two nations
The relationship between Moscow and Baku has rapidly deteriorated in the aftermath of a Russian police raid on a suspected ethnic organized crime gang, which resulted in the death of two suspects.“crime ring.” Here is how the events unfolded:
Russian police bust organized crime ring
Last week, Russian police raided a suspected ethnic Azerbaijani crime ring in the city of Yekaterinburg as part of an investigation into a string of murders dating back to the early 2000s which were believed to be gang assassinations and contract killings.
Azerbaijan plays ethnic card
The raid and the death of the suspects have invoked fury in Azerbaijan, with multiple politicians and public figures demanding retaliation against Moscow and accusing the Russian authorities of targeting the alleged crime group based on its ethnicity rather than anything else.
Baku targets Russian journalists
On Monday, police in Baku raided the office of Russian news agency Sputnik, arresting two senior editors. The agency has been accused of operating “through illegal financing.” The head of the editorial office, Igor Kartavykh, and Editor-in-Chief Evgeny Belousov were placed in pre-trial detention for four months.“Baku’s hostile actions and the unlawful detention of Russian journalists.” The envoy, in turn, handed the ministry a note condemning the alleged “torture and degrading actions” of Russian law enforcement.
Azerbaijan finds Russian ‘crime ring’
On Tuesday, Azerbaijani police arrested eight Russian nationals, claiming they were members of a group involved in cybercrime and the trafficking of drugs from Iran. Tehran, however, maintains an extremely strict stance on the sale of narcotics, which is a capital offense.
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