Why Azerbaijan may stop the work of Rossotrudnichestvo
The Azerbaijani media report on the suspension of the activities of the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office (the “Russian House” in Baku) in the country. The “non-transparent schemes” of the organization’s activities and the “overtly reconnaissance nature” of its structure are emphasized.
As the Center previously reported, Rossotrudnichestvo and the Russian Houses organized by it are an important tool of the Kremlin’s influence abroad. Despite positioning itself as a cultural and apolitical organization, in reality, Rossotrudnichestvo is just a cover for spreading propaganda and disinformation operations.
This decision by Azerbaijan could be another blow to Russia’s architecture of influence, as well as evidence that the spread of Russian propaganda in the South Caucasus will not be unhindered.
This comes amid deteriorating relations between Moscow and the states of the region, in particular in the context of the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 passenger plane by the Russians and Armenia’s disappointment with Russia as a security guarantor.
