Baku summons Russian diplomat over deadly FSB raid on Azerbaijani family in Yekaterinburg

On June 28, Petr Volokovykh, Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Federation in Azerbaijan, was summoned to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs following a violent incident involving Azerbaijani citizens in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the actions of Russian law enforcement during an FSB-led operation conducted on June 27, Caliber.Az reports.

"A strong protest was expressed to the Russian side in connection with the raids carried out by Russian security forces on June 27 in the apartments of our compatriots, during which two Azerbaijanis were brutally killed, several people were seriously injured, and nine people were arrested. The opposing side has been informed that Baku is awaiting an investigation into the matter and the prompt prosecution of all those who committed the violence," the statement read.

The operation targeted multiple residences of the Safarov family — Russian citizens of Azerbaijani origin originally from Azerbaijan's Aghdam district — who were living in various districts of Yekaterinburg. The raids began around 5:00 a.m. on June 27.

During the course of the operation, two brothers, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, were killed. Eight other family members suffered injuries of varying severity due to physical beatings inflicted during the raid.

Four of the injured — Akif, Ayaz, Kamal, and Mazahir Safarov — were hospitalised and are reported to be in serious condition.

In total, nine individuals were detained by Russian law enforcement authorities. According to members of the Azerbaijani community in Yekaterinburg, the operation was allegedly connected to a murder that occurred in 2001 at a café previously owned by the Safarov family.

By Tamilla Hasanova