As a result of mutual agreements between Moscow and Baku, a detainee exchange took place. Russia released Yusif Khalilov, the leader of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Voronezh, in response to Azerbaijan's release of Yevgeny Belousov, editor-in-chief of Sputnik Azerbaijan.
Khalilov's detention in August was viewed by experts as an element of political pressure during a period of heightened tensions in Russian-Azerbaijani relations. One of the causes of the crisis was the December 25, 2024, plane crash, when an Azerbaijani airliner was shot down by a Russian missile.
Khalilov's release, following meetings and telephone conversations between Presidents Aliyev and Putin, indicates an improvement in the situation and a possible warming in relations between the countries.
Earlier, Igor Kartavykh, head of the Sputnik Azerbaijan editorial board, returned to Russia, and in exchange, the former director of the Satire Theater, Mamedali Agayev, was released.
