Day: October 18, 2025

#SouthCaucasus  #Azerbaijan
#RamizMehdiyev and his pro- #Russia group
x.com/mikenov/status/1979678…
Former  #Azerbaijani presidential chief of staff Ramiz Mehdiyev is currently under house arrest on charges of treason and plotting a coup with Russian backing. In the past, Mehdiyev was a powerful political figure known for his close ties to Russia. [1, 2, 3] 
Alleged coup plot and arrest • The plot: According to reports from Azerbaijan’s state-run media, Mehdiyev allegedly devised a plan for a coup with Russian support. He reportedly tried to leverage tensions that arose between Azerbaijan and Russia in late 2024 after a civilian airliner was shot down by Russian air defenses.
• Failed execution: The plot allegedly involved staging a presidential plane crash to trigger a state of emergency, but organizers mistakenly downed the civilian plane instead.
• Russian involvement: Russia, through President Vladimir Putin, reportedly tipped off Azerbaijan about Mehdiyev’s plan during a meeting between the two countries’ leaders in Dushanbe in October 2025. This occurred shortly after Russia apologized for the plane crash incident and offered compensation, easing tensions with Azerbaijan.
• Charges and house arrest: In October 2025, a court in Baku placed Mehdiyev under four months of house arrest. He faces charges of high treason, attempting to seize state power, and money laundering. [2, 4, 5, 6, 7] 

Mehdiyev’s pro-Russia group • Political network: Mehdiyev has a history of cultivating a “pro-Moscow” political network within Azerbaijan’s government, parliament, and media. He served as the head of the Presidential Administration for nearly 25 years, a position from which he exerted considerable influence.
• “Fifth column”: Azerbaijani media reports also link Mehdiyev to funding a so-called “swearing opposition” of anti-Azerbaijani émigré bloggers to destabilize the country.
• Recent purge: In recent years, before the latest allegations, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has worked to sideline pro-Russian officials, including Mehdiyev, as the country seeks to assert more independence from Russian influence. [1, 3, 8, 9] 

Background on Ramiz Mehdiyev • Soviet-era official: Mehdiyev’s political career began during the Soviet era. He held positions under both Ilham Aliyev and his father, Heydar Aliyev, during their presidencies.
• “Gray cardinal”: He was often referred to as the “gray cardinal” of Azerbaijani politics due to his significant behind-the-scenes influence.
• Downfall: Mehdiyev was dismissed from his post as head of the Presidential Administration in 2019, supposedly to make way for a younger generation. His standing declined further in 2020 after public backlash over his granddaughter’s lavish wedding during the COVID-19 pandemic. [3, 10, 11] 

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1]  azerbaycan24.com/en/putin-re…
[2]  azerbaycan24.com/en/a-big-fi…
[3]  occrp.org/en/news/azerbaijan…
[4]  instagram.com/p/DP9SleEjXfH/
[5]  instagram.com/p/DP8ldVcDN1e/
[6]  instagram.com/p/DP8ldVcDN1e/
[7]  aze.media/did-putin-betray-r…
[8]  aze.media/azerbaijan-cleans-…
[9]  kyivpost.com/analysis/59071
[10]  41nbc.com/community-prepares…
[11]  oc-media.org/former-azerbaij…

– Google Search  google.com/search?q=Ramiz+Me… x.com/mikenov/status/1979678079145435568

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 18, 2025