This is reported by Kyiv24
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, held a phone conversation with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. During the discussion, which took place on July 1, Zelensky thanked Aliyev for his support of Ukraine, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Death of the Safarov Brothers and Baku’s Reaction
In the conversation, Zelensky expressed his condolences over the deaths of Azerbaijani citizens in Russia. In Yekaterinburg, on June 27, brothers Ziyaddin and Hussein Safarov were killed during a raid by Russian security forces. According to eyewitnesses, the security forces acted brutally, and as a result of the operation, over 50 individuals of Azerbaijani descent were detained. The bodies of the deceased were delivered to Azerbaijan on June 30.
“I expressed our condolences to Azerbaijan regarding the murder of the Safarov brothers on Russian territory. I am confident that all the facts will be clarified. Justice is needed.”
The head of the Union of Forensic Medical Examination and Pathological Anatomy of the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan, Adalyat Gasanov, reported that the cause of death of the brothers was multiple injuries sustained during the police raid. These events led to a deterioration in relations between Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. Baku called for those responsible to be held accountable, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan expressed a “strong protest” to the Russian ambassador.
Diplomatic Steps and Development of Bilateral Relations
During the conversation, the presidents also discussed cooperation in the energy and humanitarian spheres. Zelensky noted that Ukraine and Azerbaijan agreed to hold a meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation. Additionally, Azerbaijan expressed gratitude to Ukraine for its condolences and for its support in the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Iran and for the humanitarian assistance from Baku.
Following the incident in Yekaterinburg, the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan decided not to participate in the meeting of the Milli Mejlis and the Federal Assembly of Russia on inter-parliamentary cooperation. The Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan canceled all joint cultural events with Russian state and private institutions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia stated that the operation in Yekaterinburg was conducted as part of an investigation into serious crimes related to murders in 2001, 2010, and 2011. The head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin, instructed to prepare a detailed report on the detentions and the deaths of the two individuals.