La Derecha Diario The president of Azerbaijan criticized Russia, and tensions with the Kremlin are escalating.
Ilham Aliyev launched harsh criticism against Vladimir Putin's government, making reference to the Soviet era, and the tension between both countries deepened
In an interview, the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, stated that when the Soviet Union was formed in 1920, the Bolshevik forces "invaded and occupied" Azerbaijan, taking away the newly established Democratic State of Azerbaijan.
Aliyev accused the Soviet regime of having sown the seeds of later territorial disputes with Armenia, especially by "handing over" Zangezur, now the Armenian province of Syunik. He also reaffirmed his country's firm support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine since the early days of the Russian invasion, avoiding any ambiguity about his stance in the conflict.
Relations between Baku and Moscow have markedly deteriorated in recent months. A critical point was the downing, last December, of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Moscow described the incident as a "tragic accident" and expressed condolences, but did not accept responsibility.
Aliyev, on the other hand, described it as a mistake by Russian air defenses and demanded a formal admission of guilt, sanctions, compensation for the families, and restitution for the lost plane.
Meanwhile, Baku is sending consistent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, focused on supplying electrical equipment to restore infrastructure damaged by the war.
According to official reports, this aid exceeds 40 million dollars, including more than 3.3 million meters (10,826,772 feet) of cables and conductors, approximately 70 generators, dozens of transformers, and transformer stations.
In its most recent shipment in August, valued at 2 million dollars, Azerbaijan dispatched nearly 90,000 meters (295,276 feet) of cables, 25 generators, and 7 transformers, with the support of the Ukrainian embassy.
This support has been received with gratitude by Ukraine. Ambassador Yuriy Husyev highlighted the value of the assistance, emphasizing that Azerbaijan supports Ukraine in one of its most difficult moments.
Overall, Aliyev's statements and recent events show an Azerbaijan increasingly distant from Moscow and aligned with the West at a critical juncture. The historical clash over what happened in 1920, the current diplomatic conflict marked by the downing of the plane, and the practical solidarity with Ukraine underscore a clear distancing of Azerbaijan from the Russian sphere of influence.
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