Kiselyov said: “Today marks a full month since the arrest of our journalist colleagues, Igor Kartavikh and Yevgeny Belousov, both Russian citizens, in Azerbaijan on baseless charges.” The general director of the international news group “Russia Today” added: “The person who made this decision was well aware that the arrest of journalists, in the absence of any objective complaints about their work, would inevitably complicate relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.” Last month, an “operation” was announced at the “Sputnik Azerbaijan” office in Baku. The “Sputnik” agency in Moscow reported that there was no contact with the editorial office. There were patrol cars from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs and black minibuses with tinted windows parked outside the building. It is worth noting that in February, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry announced its intentions in the country. The “Sputnik” editorial board reported that no official ban on work in Azerbaijan had been received, and during this period, there was a constructive dialogue ongoing between the working teams of the foreign ministries of the two countries about resolving potential disputes. The “Russia Today” media group described the actions of the Azerbaijani security forces as invalid, and the charges against them as exaggerated. The editorial board has been prevented from working, and no consular staff or relatives are allowed to see the journalists. According to the media group’s press office, Kartavikh’s health is concerning, and he needs medication, including insulin. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, stated that the Kremlin is closely monitoring the information and indicated that Moscow hopes that the release of the detained journalists can be achieved through direct communication with Baku. The official spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, confirmed that Baku has not presented any claims against the “Sputnik Azerbaijan” office or the journalists’ work. According to her, the actions taken against the agency are now driven by other considerations.
