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Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has responded to comments by Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia Rahman Mustafayev about what he described as an extremely negative background surrounding Azerbaijan in the Russian information space.

Asked to comment on Mustafayev’s remarks, Zakharova pointed to the former activities of the Russian state-funded media outlet Sputnik in Azerbaijan, describing it as an example of media coverage that had contributed to a constructive information environment and supported bilateral relations.

“I can give a wonderful example of an extremely positive background that, for example, the Sputnik agency, such a media outlet, created while working in Azerbaijan,” Zakharova said.

According to her, Sputnik represented an example of professional journalism specifically focused on contributing to the development of Russian-Azerbaijani relations.

“There were no materials, no information that would raise any problematic questions from the Azerbaijani side,” she said, adding that Azerbaijan had subsequently terminated the outlet’s operations in the country.

Zakharova also referred to the detention of Sputnik journalists in Azerbaijan, saying that they eventually returned to Russia after spending months in custody.

She then accused Azerbaijani media outlets of regularly publishing what Moscow considers anti-Russian materials.

“We regularly pass materials to the Azerbaijani side concerning the information sphere of Azerbaijan with openly anti-Russian materials that do not correspond to reality,” Zakharova said.

She argued that such coverage should not simply be viewed as criticism or an alternative point of view.

“This is not criticism, this is not a point of view, this is such a frenzy under the guise of objectivity, and the Azerbaijani side knows about this,” she said.

According to Zakharova, Moscow regularly raises the issue with Azerbaijani officials through consultations and bilateral contacts, while exchanging relevant materials concerning media coverage.

“I think that the Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Moscow also knows perfectly well how we assist in removing issues when it really concerns the distortion of facts or unworthy materials concerning the sovereign state of Azerbaijan,” she said.

At the same time, Zakharova acknowledged that the current situation in the media sphere requires improvement.

“I can agree in that part that the situation that has developed in the media sphere requires correction,” she said, again calling on Baku to discuss outstanding problems and develop ways to resolve them.

She said existing communication channels between the two sides continue to function and could be used to address disputes.

“We regularly do this. So to speak, hotlines for resolving issues existed, exist and work perfectly,” Zakharova said.

She linked such an approach to the Declaration on Allied Interaction signed by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia on February 22, 2022, saying that constructive and mutually respectful dialogue would correspond to both its letter and spirit.

Zakharova also noted that several Azerbaijani media organizations continue to operate in Russia and, according to her, work constructively without Moscow raising complaints about their activities.

She specifically mentioned AZERTAC, AzTV and Real TV, among other Azerbaijani media organizations, and recalled that Russian and Azerbaijani journalists have participated in joint conferences, round tables and media forums.

“All this can and should be developed in this sense, and all emerging issues should be resolved in a constructive and mutually respectful manner,” Zakharova concluded.