MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. Azerbaijani ambassador to Moscow Rahman Mustafayev has been given a note verbale demanding the immediate release of Russian journalists detained in Baku, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The head of the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission was handed a note verbale demanding the immediate release of Russian journalists Igor Kartavykh and Yevgeny Belousov, who were detained in Baku," the ministry said in a statement following the ambassador’s summons to the Russian diplomatic mission.

The ministry has also lodged a protest with the Azerbaijani ambassador over Baku’s unfriendly actions aimed at undermining relations with Russia.

"On July 1, Azerbaijani Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Rahman Mustafayev was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. During a meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, a formal protest was delivered over Baku’s recent unfriendly steps — deliberate actions aimed at dismantling bilateral relations," the ministry noted.

"These include the cancellation of high-level events within the bilateral dialogue, a Russophobic campaign launched in the Azerbaijani media at the government’s behest, outrageous and unacceptable actions by Azerbaijani law enforcement services against Russia’s Sputnik Azerbaijan news agency and its employees, as well as the cancellation of all cultural events in the republic involving Russian performers, including children's art groups," the Foreign Ministry added.

"According to the information of the competent authorities, Baku’s attempts to accuse the Russian law enforcement agencies of abuse of authority are interference in Russia’s domestic affairs. The Russian Investigative Committee provided detailed information on this matter," the ministry said.

Sputnik Azerbaijan

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry announced that law enforcement agencies had conducted an operation in the Sputnik Azerbaijan headquarters. RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan said that the agency's employees were out of touch after reports that law enforcement agencies had conducted an operation in the office.

The Sputnik editorial staff reported that they had not received any official bans on operating in Azerbaijan and that working groups were in communication to settle possible disagreements.

Detentions in Yekaterinburg

According to the Sverdlovsk Region branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee, law enforcement agencies dismantled an ethnic criminal group on June 27. The investigation alleges that the suspects were involved in multiple murders and attempted murders in Yekaterinburg in 2001, 2010, and 2011. Six Russian citizens were detained in connection with the case. Preliminary findings indicated that one of the suspects died from heart failure, while the cause of death of the second individual is still being determined.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russian Charge d’Affaires Pyotr Volokovykh, who had been summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, provided detailed clarifications on the situation. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue with Baku to further clarify the reasons and circumstances surrounding the detention of Azerbaijani nationals.

In protest against the actions of Russian security agencies, Baku lodged an official complaint and canceled a number of cultural and other events involving Russian participation. The Kremlin expressed regret over Baku’s decision.