AZE.US
Rasim Musabayov comments on media controversy, Russia ties and regional security dynamics.
Azerbaijani lawmaker Rasim Musabayov has alleged that an information campaign targeting the family of President Ilham Aliyev is being coordinated from Moscow, according to remarks made in an online interview.
Speaking to the YouTube channel Europe Online, Musabayov said recent media publications and social media activity directed at members of the president’s family were part of a broader external effort to exert pressure on Azerbaijan. He did not provide specific evidence but linked the developments to wider tensions between Baku and Moscow.
The comments come amid strained relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, following public disagreements over regional security issues and political developments.
Musabayov also addressed speculation surrounding former Karabakh official Ruben Vardanyan, suggesting that potential disclosures related to financial dealings could have political implications beyond Azerbaijan. No official documentation regarding such claims has been released.
On Azerbaijan’s participation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the lawmaker said the country’s engagement has been largely nominal in recent years. He added that if membership is interpreted as alignment within Russia’s sphere of influence, Baku could reassess its position.
More broadly, Musabayov referenced shifting security dynamics in Europe following statements made by U.S. officials at the Munich Security Conference, suggesting that European states may need to assume greater responsibility for their own defense.
There has been no official response from Russian authorities to the allegations made during the interview.