Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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Russian media outlets continue to draw criticism over their coverage of Karabakh, with accusations that some reporting and commentary show disregard for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and use language perceived as disrespectful towards President Ilham Aliyev.

The criticism points to a growing disconnect between parts of Russia’s media landscape and the broader diplomatic relationship Moscow has sought to maintain with Baku.

Russian-language media continue to revisit the Karabakh issue despite the fundamental changes that have taken place in the region since Azerbaijan restored control over the territory in 2023. Critics argue that some outlets continue to frame the issue through narratives that overlook Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity or give space to positions that challenge Baku’s sovereignty over Karabakh.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Russia has repeatedly described Azerbaijan as an important regional partner. Moscow and Baku maintain extensive political, economic and security ties, while Russia has sought to preserve its influence in the South Caucasus amid a rapidly changing regional balance.

Against that backdrop, the continued prominence of hostile or dismissive narratives about Azerbaijan in parts of the Russian media raises a broader question: how much control does the Kremlin have over a media environment that can potentially undermine Russia’s own foreign-policy objectives?

The criticism has become particularly pointed among observers who see a contradiction between Russia’s official diplomatic engagement with Azerbaijan and the tone adopted by some Russian media outlets.

One commentator went further, arguing that some Russian media outlets could effectively be acting against Russia’s interests themselves.

“Sometimes I understand that some Russian media outlets are themselves enemies of Russia,” the commentator said, reflecting growing frustration over what was described as continued disrespect towards Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and President Aliyev.

The dispute also highlights a wider problem for Moscow. Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus increasingly depends not only on formal diplomatic agreements but also on its ability to manage competing narratives within its own information space.

For Azerbaijan, the issue is not simply one of media tone, as coverage that questions its territorial integrity or portrays its leadership in a hostile manner can be viewed in Baku as an attempt to preserve outdated narratives about a conflict that Azerbaijan considers resolved.

For Moscow, meanwhile, the persistence of such narratives carries its own risks, especially at a time when Russia is attempting to maintain strategic partnerships beyond the West. So, antagonising Azerbaijan through media narratives could complicate an already competitive regional environment.

The question is therefore increasingly difficult to ignore: are some Russian media outlets simply reflecting domestic political narratives, or are they inadvertently working against the strategic interests of the Russian state itself?