“The events in Yekaterinburg following the plane incident are proof of the racist and chauvinistic behavior of Russia’s law enforcement agencies,” stated Colonel Jalil Khalilov, Chairman of the Organization of War, Labor, and Armed Forces Veterans, in an interview with AZERTAC.
He noted that the brutal killing of civilians in their homes by security forces demonstrates Russia’s rejection of the rule of law. “The attack by Russia’s Federal Security Service on an Azerbaijani family in Yekaterinburg, and the merciless killing of individuals who offered no resistance, is a profound disgrace to the Russian state and a travesty of the concept of a rule of law. Even during Stalin’s era, such extrajudicial killings in front of family members were unheard of. Yet, in modern Russia, we witness such shameful and inhumane acts, which evoke disgust and regret. These events are a clear manifestation of Russia’s aggressive, chauvinistic policy against ethnic minorities and are utterly unacceptable,” Khalilov said.
The colonel highlighted Azerbaijan’s humanitarian aid to Russian citizens during the Iran-Israel conflict, contrasting it with Russia’s response. “During the Iran-Israel conflict, dozens of Russian citizens stranded in Iran, defenseless and in grave danger, were brought to Azerbaijan under our state’s protection and safely repatriated. Russian authorities repeatedly expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan at the time. However, shortly afterward, the mass violence against Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg revealed the Kremlin’s fleeting gratitude and its ingratitude for the goodwill shown. While we saved Russian citizens from death in Iran, Azerbaijanis in Russia were demonstratively killed by security forces,” he remarked.
Khalilov emphasized that Russia’s actions following last year’s plane incident signal a deliberate, deadly policy against Azerbaijanis. “On December 25 last year, an AZAL Embraer aircraft operating the Baku-Grozny flight was shot down in Russian airspace and crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan. Months later, Russia has yet to take concrete steps to identify and punish those responsible. Following this tragedy, the killing of five Azerbaijanis who offered no resistance during a police raid in Yekaterinburg on June 27, along with the arrest and brutal torture of many compatriots, reveals the Kremlin’s hostile intentions toward neighboring nations and migrants,” he stated.
He urged Russian authorities to conduct an objective investigation into the Yekaterinburg incident, hold those responsible for the unwarranted violence and killings accountable, and ensure justice. “Otherwise, this incident will continue to negatively impact Azerbaijan-Russia relations, both now and in the future, and erode trust in the Kremlin’s sincerity,” Khalilov concluded.
