Why Russian-Azerbaijani relations went sour after Baku's 'victory parade'

Changes to the maps of the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh and a ban on the export of vegetables and fruits from Azerbaijan to Russia has caused bewilderment and anger amongst the Azerbaijani public.

Political analysts explain such tension in Russian-Azerbaijani relations as a result of the recent ‘victory parade’ held in Baku on December 10 following the signing of an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan to end hostilities in Karabakh.

Below, reflections from Azerbaijani political scientist and historian Altay Goyushov on why Russian-Azerbaijani relations spoiled after the parade, and why Azerbaijan should act with more caution towards its northern neighbour.

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“The image of Russian weapons was once dealt a serious blow during the Yom Kippur War. All over the world, an impression was formed that Russian-made weapons were seriously ‘backwards.’

The same opinion was formed after the Second Karabakh War. Today, almost every day, the world media publish articles about the backwardness of not only Russian weapons, but also the [Russian] approach to military concepts.

The demonstration of destroyed weapons at the victory parade in Baku seemed to sprinkle salt on a fresh wound. This had a very negative impact, and echoes of this can be seen in the Russian media space.

In addition, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia directly or indirectly touched upon the topic of the unsuitability of Russian equipment.

It is noteworthy that the Russian military-industrial complex almost daily announces the testing of new weapons in order to debunk this impression.

One can be sure that we will see a similar situation regarding the coronavirus vaccine – it’s like a Zhiguli against a Mercedes. Not because they have bad specialists. But because the system works this way. They can do it quickly, but they cannot do it well. The system is indifferent to quality; it has other priorities.

But at the same time, I must definitely say that all this should not become a reason for a negative attitude towards Russia’s overall military strength and potential. Russia itself knows best of all how dangerous it is to create an impression of its weakness, and it will definitely try to dispel such associations. For this reason, we must deal with them as carefully as possible,” historian Altay Goyushov wrote on his Facebook page.