August M
A diplomatic dispute has erupted after Azerbaijan’s president alleged that Russian attacks damaged his country’s embassy in Ukraine.
Moscow has denied responsibility, blaming Ukrainian air defence systems instead.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, President Ilham Aliyev said the Azerbaijani embassy building in Kyiv had been hit three times during Russian strikes.
“After the first attack, we concluded that it was an accident and provided our Russian colleagues with all the coordinates of Azerbaijani diplomatic missions, including the consular department, our cultural centers and the embassy,” Aliyev said.
Claims of intent
According to the Azerbaijani leader, the embassy was struck twice more after the coordinates had been shared with Moscow.
“Despite this, two more attacks occurred. Therefore, it was a deliberate attack on the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission,” Aliyev stated.
He added that Russian military actions have also affected property owned by Azerbaijani businesspeople in Ukraine. “This issue has been raised repeatedly during numerous contacts between officials at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the presidential administration,” he said.
Aliyev described the situation in stark terms. “Of course, this is perceived as an unfriendly act towards Azerbaijan,” he added.
Moscow rejects allegations
Russia’s Foreign Ministry responded by dismissing claims that the embassy had been intentionally targeted.
In a statement, the ministry said reports suggesting a “targeted nature of the attacks” were inaccurate. It maintained that damage recorded in November 2025 was caused by a malfunction of Ukrainian air defence systems.
The Russian side also said that Azerbaijani authorities had been informed about strikes on what it described as legitimate military targets. The wording of the statement indicated that Moscow considers certain sites within conflict zones as valid objectives, though it did not provide specific details.
The exchange underscores rising tensions between the two countries as the war in Ukraine continues to strain regional relations.
Sources: WP Wiadomości, statements from President Ilham Aliyev and the Russian Foreign Ministry.
