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Akbar Novruz

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In the Rostov-on-Don region of Russia, law enforcement forces reportedly conducted nighttime raids on apartments where Azerbaijani families reside, sparking alarm among relatives and prompting questions from authorities in Azerbaijan, local media say, AzerNEWS reports.

Actress Ruhiyya Yusifova told local Azerbaijani outlet that a group of uniformed officers entered the home of her uncle, Mardan Askerov, during the early hours. “They beat my uncle’s son for no reason… they took his mother, his pregnant wife and two children, and my uncle away. They destroyed the house and broke everything,” she said.

According to Yusifova, officers then entered the home of her uncle’s eldest son, where force was allegedly used against his wife and children. Most of those taken to the police station were later released, but her uncle reportedly remains in custody, with relatives’ phones confiscated at the scene.

An official inquiry has been sent to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking clarification on the matter, local media reported.

Previous incidents against Azerbaijanis in Russia

Wider concerns about the treatment of Azerbaijanis and ethnic minorities in Russia first occurred back in June. In June 2025, a raid by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on homes belonging to Azerbaijani families in Yekaterinburg led to the deaths of two Azerbaijani brothers and the detention of several others.

That incident sparked diplomatic protests from Baku, with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding an investigation and justice for the victims. Azerbaijan later summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires to express strong disapproval.

Azerbaijani lawmakers and officials described the Yekaterinburg operation as extremely brutal and inconsistent with legal norms, warning that such actions risk damaging bilateral relations.