Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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At a time when the information war and the spread of deepfakes are gaining unprecedented momentum, it is regrettable that certain outlets in the international media, eager for cheap publicity, are fabricating absurd fantasies and outright falsehoods, which others then enthusiastically circulate without even realising it. This has become a habit for websites inclined towards provocation and lacking professional standards. That is one side of the problem, but the main issue concerns the blatant lie that has been circulating in recent days. One such fantasy that has been attempted to foist on the public is the allegation that "Azerbaijan secretly sold SU-22 aircraft to Ukraine."

First, let us note that the SU-22 is the export version of the SU-17. Although it was a prominent military platform in its time, it is now considered outdated and remains in the arsenals of only a handful of countries. As for Azerbaijan, according to some published sources, while there may have been a few SU-17 aircraft inherited from the Soviet era, there is no official or unofficial information confirming the presence of SU-22s in the country’s arsenal. Moreover, the SU-17 aircraft have long been decommissioned in Azerbaijan.

Beyond that, the question arises: how useful would such a weapon be to Ukraine? As is known, Russia is significantly more powerful than Ukraine in terms of its economy, population, natural resources, and military-technical capabilities. For the past three years, Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience against Russian aggression, relying primarily on a limited number of high-tech weapons to counterbalance Russia’s overwhelming advantages.

Recently, Ukraine has been negotiating with Sweden to acquire modern Gripen fighter jets and with France for Rafale aircraft. In this context, does a country like Ukraine really need outdated scrap-metal aircraft from the 1960s, models that even the original manufacturer, Russia, ceased producing in the 1990s and removed from its own arsenal? Can the SU-22 aircraft realistically shift the balance on the battlefield in Ukraine’s favour?

Considering the technical capabilities of the SU-22, it is safe to say that such scrap-metal aircraft would offer no benefit to Ukraine. On the contrary, they would be a burden in terms of maintenance and pilots` safety. In short, this claim is entirely absurd. Azerbaijan has not possessed SU-22 aircraft, and Kyiv has not lost its strategic judgment to the extent that it would spend money on obsolete scrap metals in a war where cutting-edge weaponry is decisive.

This leads to a more fundamental question: what is the purpose behind spreading such a story? The style of the original article spreading that news is telling. After reading the entire piece, one gets the impression that the outlet either lacks awareness of actual developments or is deliberately trying to create the unpleasant image of Azerbaijan. The article begins with a single sentence about the alleged sale of SU-22s, then devotes the rest of the text to Azerbaijan-Russia relations, evoking the phrase “to create drama where there is none.”

It seems to aim at driving a wedge between Azerbaijan and Russia, portraying Azerbaijan as a former ally drifting away from Moscow. Referring to Azerbaijan as Russia’s “former ally” is itself a puzzling expression. In reality, Azerbaijan was one of the first countries in the Caucasus, and one of only four former Soviet republics, alongside the Baltic states, to successfully remove Russian troops from its territory. Furthermore, unlike some other former Soviet republics, Azerbaijan never granted Russian the status of an official language after independence. Even during the Soviet era, Azerbaijani was the official state language.

Given all this, calling Azerbaijan a “former ally” of Russia is questionable at best. If the term “ally” refers to the 2022 Declaration on Allied Interaction signed in Moscow between Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation, it’s worth noting that this agreement remains in force.

Let us not forget that Azerbaijan has a similar agreement with Turkiye. While not identical, comparable treaties exist with other countries as well. If someone were to conduct a street survey in Baku today asking, “Who is Azerbaijan’s ally?” the answers would likely vary. In Azerbaijan, the concept of alliance is understood as a relationship based on mutual respect, friendship, and brotherhood. This reflects the country’s longstanding foreign policy principle of neutrality, a tradition that dates back centuries.

Whether during the Caucasian Albanian era, when Javanshir manoeuvred diplomatically between the Khazar Khaganate, Persia, and the Arab Caliphate, or in the time of the Shirvanshahs, when Azerbaijan balanced relations among the Timurids, Golden Horde, Ottomans, and Iran, neutrality has been a consistent theme. Throughout history, Azerbaijan has prioritised neutrality in its foreign policy, and continues to do so today. This approach has enabled the country to preserve its national identity for millennia, despite invasions by powerful empires, and there is no intention to change this principle.

To put it another way, Azerbaijan has consistently recognised Ukraine’s territorial integrity, is aware of the military aggression it faces, and provides humanitarian aid whenever possible. In fact, among former Soviet republics, Azerbaijan is one of the top providers of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Accusing Azerbaijan of something it hasn’t done, especially something so illogical, is, to put it mildly, slander.

Put simply, those who, despite knowing full well what Azerbaijan is, still deliberately seek to portray it as Russia’s outpost should understand that Baku has never bowed to the influence of great powers, never joined blocs of their making, and never conducted its foreign policy at the dictation of any state.