Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
A former close ally is being increasingly alienated by Putin’s government.
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia flared again after another blast struck close to Baku’s diplomatic mission in Kyiv.
The incident added to a growing list of strikes hitting Azerbaijani sites in Ukraine during moments of political strain between the two countries.
Rising unease
According to Euronews, Azerbaijan summoned Russia’s ambassador on November 14 after the latest missile and drone barrage destroyed part of the embassy fence and damaged nearby structures and cars. No injuries were reported.
Moscow has not acknowledged responsibility, but the strike came shortly after President Ilham Aliyev met a NATO delegation and publicly highlighted stronger ties with the alliance.
Azerbaijan has increasingly diversified its foreign partnerships, deepening economic cooperation with China while reducing reliance on Russia.
Unanswered questions
In an opinion piece in The Moscow Times, Azerbajani journalist, Nigar Hasanova, outlines how earlier episodes have raised suspicions in Baku.
According to the journalist, who focuses on political developments in the Caucasus, a political dispute last year lead Russia to admit it had mistakenly targeted an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft, yet never explained why the plane was diverted to Aktau instead of a Russian airfield.
Domestic tensions have also intersected with external pressure. Following an October meeting between the Azerbaijani and Russian presidents, local media reported allegations of a coup plot linked to former adviser Ramiz Mehdiyev, claims that surfaced as his associates were detained.
Pattern of incidents
The piece in The Moscow Times goes on to explain how strikes on Azerbaijani facilities in Ukraine are not new.
On March 10, 2022, the honorary consulate in Kharkiv was heavily damaged shortly after Baku sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
A Russian Kinzhal missile landed near the Kyiv embassy complex in January 2024, during Azerbaijan’s efforts to limit Russia’s role in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In August 2025, amid tensions over a December 2024 plane crash, drone attacks hit a SOCAR fuel site in the Odesa region and later landed close to the embassy, damaging several diplomatic buildings.
Kremlin pressure
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry says Moscow received its diplomatic coordinates in 2022, raising doubts about claims of accidental strikes.
Past actions against Georgia, Moldova and the Czech Republic have led many in Baku to view such incidents within a broader pattern: when relations sour, Russia often finds ways to apply pressure, Nigar Hasanova warns.
Sources: The Moscow Times, Digi24, Euronews
