MOSCOW, July 2. /TASS/. Russian citizens staying in Azerbaijan should be more careful and vigilant, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"We urge our citizens who are in the republic to exercise increased caution and prudence," it said in a statement.

The statement read that in the current conditions, Russians should take into account the situation in the country when planning a trip there. If case of any problems, it recommended to contact the Russian embassy in Baku immediately.

On June 28, the Investigative Committee’s branch for the Sverdlovsk Region said it had suppressed activities of a group involved in several murders committed in Yekaterinburg in the early 2000s. Eight defendants were taken into custody.

According to preliminary data, one of the defendants died from a heart failure. The causes of death of the second person are being established. Their bodies were taken from Yekaterinburg to Baku, which said that a forensic medical examination had detected signs of violence and protested to the Russian side.

Azerbaijan cancelled events with Russian participation, detained and arrested for four months Russian journalists Igor Kartavykh, Yevgeny Belousov and eight other Russians. Azerbaijan and Russia exchanged notes of protest, and diplomats were summoned to the Foreign Ministry.