The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is accusing an Azerbaijani citizen of preparing a terrorist attack in Yessentuki and Stavropol.
According to the service’s statement, “the detained individual voluntarily joined a Ukrainian terrorist organization banned in Russia and, following the orders of the organization’s leaders, conducted reconnaissance activities at several sites in Yessentuki and Stavropol — including administrative buildings of law enforcement agencies and transportation infrastructure.”
The FSB states that the detainee had served in the special forces of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and intended to use his knowledge and skills to prepare the terrorist attack:
“The individual acquired precursors and damaging elements necessary for the preparation of explosive devices and stored them in a specially prepared hiding place. During investigative procedures, components for the manufacture of explosive devices, communication tools, and electronic storage devices containing information exposing the suspect’s illegal activities in the interests of the Ukrainian terrorist organization were seized.”
A criminal case has been initiated under Articles 30 (preparation and attempt to commit a crime) and 205 (preparation of a terrorist act) of the Russian Criminal Code, and the investigation is ongoing.
This is the third such incident. On August 20, Mehriban Lukinskaya, a native of Azerbaijan, was sentenced to five years in prison in Russia on charges of espionage.
On August 21, the FSB announced that a foreign citizen named Yadulla Rufullayev was detained at the Russia-Azerbaijan border while attempting to smuggle classified documents out of the country. According to the FSB, he was cooperating with the Security Service of Ukraine and trying to extract materials related to Russia’s military-industrial complex. A criminal case has been opened against him under the Russian Criminal Code’s article on “aiding the enemy.”
All of this is taking place against the backdrop of worsening Azerbaijan-Russia relations in recent months.
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia began on December 25, 2024, after an AZAL passenger plane was shot down. Baku claimed that the aircraft was downed by Russia.
At the beginning of 2025, the “Sputnik Azerbaijan” media outlet and the “Russian House” in Azerbaijan were shut down.
On June 27, 2025, two Azerbaijanis were killed during raids conducted by Russia’s Investigative Committee in Yekaterinburg related to a criminal case.
Subsequently, 13 Russian citizens were arrested in Azerbaijan on charges of espionage and other illegal activities.
Later, both countries issued diplomatic notes in response — Russia over the detention of Russian journalists in Baku, and Azerbaijan over the operations carried out against Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg.
