Zakharova: Russia–Azerbaijan ties vital, those exploiting tensions 'should think carefully'

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has warned against alleged efforts to exploit recent tensions between Moscow and Baku, calling the relationship between the two countries “extremely important.”

Speaking on Sputnik Radio this week, Zakharova said any attempt to damage bilateral ties would be met with concern in Moscow.

“There are quite many who want to warm their hands with this. Just don’t get burned,” she said. “Because for us, I think that friendly relations between the two nations are really extremely important, and those who want to spoil them should think carefully about what they are doing.”

Tensions have escalated since 27 June, when Russian police special forces detained dozens of people of Azerbaijani origin in the city of Yekaterinburg. Two people were reported dead and several others injured during the operation.

In what many see as a retaliatory move, Azerbaijani authorities detained seven employees of the Russian state-affiliated Sputnik Azerbaijan news agency on 30 June, including editor Igor Kartavikh and editor-in-chief Yevgeny Belousov.