Vladimir Medinski, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, made a controversial statement in an interview with Russia Today on June 9, regarding the former Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Medinski referred to the Karabakh region as a “disputed territory” and attempted to draw parallels between the situation there and the Russia-Ukraine war.
His remarks sparked serious outrage in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, emphasizing that Karabakh has never been a disputed area and that Russia itself has officially recognized the region as part of Azerbaijan. The Ministry stressed that Azerbaijan’s 44-day Patriotic War in 2020 and the anti-terror operations conducted in 2023 were entirely within the country’s sovereign and internationally recognized territories and in accordance with international law. It also called on state officials in such high positions to be aware of historical and legal facts and to refrain from making irresponsible statements that could damage interstate relations.
Commenting on the issue to Baku TV, political analyst Dr. Ahmad Shahidov characterized Medinski’s remarks as a continuation of the current Kremlin policy. According to Shahidov, Russia is attempting to obscure its aggressive occupation policy in Ukraine by artificially creating parallels with the Karabakh issue and diverting international attention.
“Azerbaijan has never violated the territorial integrity of any other country and has carried out anti-terror operations within its sovereign territories in accordance with international law. Karabakh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani land, and this issue has already been resolved. Vladimir Medinski’s statement not only contradicts historical and legal realities but also represents an irresponsible stance that could harm relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. We categorically reject such positions and expect Russian officials to act with greater sensitivity and responsibility,” Dr. Ahmad Shahidov stated.
The political analyst added that Azerbaijan will continue to maintain its firm stance on the Karabakh issue and no power can question the country’s victory and territorial integrity.
