Azerbaijan Arrests Russian Journalists in Baku Amid Escalating Diplomatic Row

The arrests come shortly after several Azerbaijanis were arrested in Russia’s south-central city of Yekaterinburg.

The shore of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Nov. 10, 2024. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Authorities in Azerbaijan arrested two journalists from Russian state news agency Sputnik on June 30, in the latest sign of brewing tensions between Moscow and Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

According to AZERTAC, Azerbaijan’s state news agency, local authorities have “launched an investigation based on operational intelligence regarding [Sputnik’s] continued activities through illegal funding.”