MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. It is important to continue efforts to explain to Baku the reasons and nature of the detention of Azerbaijani immigrants in Yekaterinburg, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"It is important to continue working to clarify the reasons and nature of the events that, in the opinion of the Azerbaijani side, caused such demarches," Peskov said, answering a question from TASS about the Kremlin's assessment of Baku's cancellation of Russian events in connection with the detention of Azerbaijani immigrants in Yekaterinburg.
Earlier, Azerbaijan’s Culture Ministry cancelled all cultural events organized by Russian state and private institutions. An Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation canceled its participation in a Moscow meeting of the commission of the Milli Majlis (parliament) and Russia’s Federal Assembly on interparliamentary cooperation.
Baku has expressed its displeasure with the actions of the security forces, claiming two Azerbaijanis were killed and several people were injured during the raids.
About the actions of law enforcement agencies
Russia’s Investigative Committee’s branch for the Sverdlovsk Region, where Yekaterinburg is located, said that a criminal case had been opened against an Azeri criminal group under Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code, Part 3 of Article 30, Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code (murder committed by a group of persons by prior agreement, contract killing, attempted contract killing). According to investigators, the defendants are involved in several episodes of murders and attempted murders committed in Yekaterinburg in 2001, 2010, 2011. According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Charge d'Affaires Pyotr Volokovykh, invited to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, provided the necessary clarifications on the situation.