#TownHall։ "Russia's exclusion from the Zangezur Corridor talks has disappointed the Kremlin"

Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war, Russia's relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan have deteriorated. Both countries, once close to Moscow, have turned to the West over the Kremlin's mistakes in resolving the Artsakh conflict, the American magazine Town Hall reported.

It is noted that relations with Baku were tense when Russian air defenses shot down an Azerbaijani plane over Grozny in December 2024. Tensions escalated in June 2025 when 50 ethnic Azerbaijanis were detained during a police raid in Yekaterinburg, two of whom died. This led to retaliatory measures.

At the same time, the site emphasizes that the Kremlin still considers the Caucasus to be its sphere of influence. This could lead to a clash with Turkey, a regional power, and, to a lesser extent, with Europe. The United States has largely remained on the sidelines. The article also notes that Russia's exclusion from the Zangezur Corridor negotiations has further disappointed the Kremlin.