Kremlin acknowledges strain in Russia-Azerbaijan relations

FILE PHOTO: People followed by mourners carry the coffins of Azerbaijani brothers Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov, who died in Russian police custody, to a cemetery in Hacibedelli, Azerbaijan, July 1, 2025, in this still image from video. Reuters TV/via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia-Azerbaijan relations are currently going through a challenging phase, but Moscow remains hopeful for improvement as the two countries share common interests, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

Tensions between Moscow and Baku have escalated in recent months following the detention of several ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russia and the death of two of them in police custody.