Tensions are escalating between Russia and Azerbaijan, an oil-rich Caspian Sea nation, driven by a series of contentious incidents and shifting geopolitical dynamics in the South Caucasus. Among the immediate flashpoints are the deaths of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russia, reportedly rounded up by police in connection with decades-old murder investigations, alongside Baku's accusation that Moscow was responsible for the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet.
These specific grievances are compounded by Azerbaijan's deepening ties with Turkey, which coincide with a perceived decline in Russian influence across the volatile region. The strained relationship unfolds as Azerbaijan's President Ilhan Aliyev, in power since 2003, navigates a complex regional dynamic, a tenure almost as long as Vladimir Putin's 25-year rule in Russia.
