Solovyov did not like an independent Baku: They are sure we will lose - VIDEO
Kremlin broadcasts have long since turned into a closed ecosystem where the laws of logic and international law give way to dramatic tirades.
Another diatribe by Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, addressed to Azerbaijan on the program "Full Contact," is a vivid example of how difficult it is for certain media figures to adapt to a reality in which sovereign states make decisions based on their own national interests rather than on instructions from outside.
The propagandist was irritated by literally everything: the placing of Russian citizens on the wanted list over public calls for the violent change of Azerbaijan's constitutional order, the incitement of national hatred and enmity, as well as public calls for terrorism, and Baku's independent diplomatic contacts, including the visit of the foreign minister to Ukraine. However, the key conclusion that Solovyov reaches is striking in its free interpretation: allegedly Azerbaijan's confidence stems from the "expectation of Russia's defeat."
Solovyov suggested considering "where Azerbaijan gets such self-confidence" and linked Baku's actions to the "expectation of Russia's defeat."
"Now Azerbaijan has put three of our citizens on the wanted list. Have we responded to this in any way? And in general, the visit of the foreign minister to Ukraine? Have we responded to this in any way? Ask yourself the question: why does Azerbaijan, and a number of other countries, behave this way? They are sure that we will lose. Because they are sure that we will never respond: neither to the West, nor to them," the propagandist fumed.
This logic contains a fundamental error characteristic of imperial thinking. For Solovyov and his audience, the independent policy of a neighboring state is always a "challenge," "listening to the West," or "counting on someone's weakness." The thought that Azerbaijan is a self-sufficient subject of international politics, acting exclusively in the interests of its own people and state, simply does not fit into this system of coordinates.
Placing on the wanted list persons who have committed crimes or violated Azerbaijani legislation is not a "show of force" or a diplomatic demarche, but a direct obligation of the law enforcement system of a sovereign country. The laws of Azerbaijan are in effect throughout its entire territory and apply to everyone, regardless of their citizenship or the intercession of television hosts.
In the same way, Azerbaijan has never concealed its foreign policy. Baku builds pragmatic, respectful, and mutually beneficial relations with all partners. Support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is a consistent position of Baku, based on the norms of international law and not on a desire to "needle" Moscow. Moreover, Azerbaijan provides humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, which has been repeatedly emphasized at the highest level.
The source of Azerbaijan's confidence is not someone's hypothetical defeats or victories on battlefields thousands of kilometers away. The source of this confidence is restored territorial sovereignty, a strong economy, a modern army, and the support of its own people. Baku does not need to look over its shoulder at the reaction of studio experts in order to defend its borders and pursue an independent foreign policy.
To search for opportunism or the "expectation of someone else's loss" in Baku's current steps means completely ignoring the reality in the region. Azerbaijan builds its partnership with Russia on the basis of the Declaration on Allied Interaction. But alliance and good neighborliness imply mutual respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, not vassal subordination or the need to "ask permission" for every step.
Such attacks on the air of Russian federal channels harm, first and foremost, bilateral relations themselves, creating false narratives and artificial tension. But the era when the fate of the region was decided in fervent monologues in front of television cameras has passed irrevocably. Baku continues to follow its own course - confidently, pragmatically, and without regard for loudspeakers.
Read on the topic:
Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office puts three Russian citizens on the wanted list
Baku calls on Moscow to put an end to anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric
