FACT CHECK: Are Russia And Azerbaijan At War With Each Other?

A video shared on Facebook purports Russia and Azerbaijan have declared war against each other.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence suggesting the two countries have declared war.

Fact Check: 

Azerbaijan and Armenia engaged in a conflict in 2020 over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, resulting in a Moscow-brokered peace agreement and approximately 2,000 Russian peacekeepers sent to the region, according to The Moscow Times. Protests in Armenia broke out against the country’s leaders for losing territory in the battle, the outlet reported.

The Facebook video alleges Russia and Azerbaijan both declared war against one another, resulting in an entire Russian battalion being destroyed.  “HOT! The Russian-Azerbaijan War Broke Out: Entire Russian Battalion Destroyed By Azeri Army,” the post’s caption reads.

There is no evidence war broke out between the two countries. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports suggesting either country has declared war or any troops have been lost in the region. (RELATED: Did Ukraine Attack The Crimean Bridge?)

No such announcement of an invasion or military event appears on the Azerbaijan’s Russian Embassy website or on Russia’s Azerbaijan Embassy website. Likewise, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and social media pages do not warn citizens of impending military action in the country by Russian forces.

Recently, an Azerbaijani naval delegation visited Russia that included two guard ships and a welcome ceremony at the Russian port of Kaspiysk, according to the Azeri Times. However, Azeri troops allegedly caught Russian peacekeepers earlier in July 2022 attempting to smuggle weapons into the country, raising concerns of a new conflict, Express reported.

Check Your Fact reached out to the US Embassy in Azerbaijan for comment and will update this article if a response is provided.

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