The State Security Service of Azerbaijan has announced the detention of Azerbaijani citizens who took part in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The agency stated that operational and investigative measures are continuing with regard to individuals who fought abroad as part of armed groups not recognized by law.
According to the State Security Service, since the start of the war, a large number of Azerbaijani citizens have participated in the fighting. Some of them have been killed, some wounded, and others have gone missing or been taken prisoner.
The report states that as a result of investigations, it was determined that four Azerbaijani citizens, 35-year-old Real Nabiyev, 33-year-old Faris Huseynov, 32-year-old Ali Mammadov, and Murov Mirhashimli, fought within armed formations under the control of the Russian and Ukrainian sides. These individuals were detained in January 2026 and, by court order, were placed in pre-trial detention.
It was not possible to obtain comments from family members of the detainees.
In recent months, a number of official warnings have been issued on this matter. On January 7, the State Border Service announced that six people who had fought abroad were detained in 2025. However, it was not disclosed in which country those individuals had fought.
On December 29 of last year, the Prosecutor General’s Office addressed citizens, stating that participation in the Russia–Ukraine war entails criminal liability. The agency emphasized that among Azerbaijanis participating in the war, there are those who have been killed, seriously wounded, or captured.
The Prosecutor General’s Office stated that participation in armed conflicts on the territory of foreign countries is, in some cases, considered a particularly serious crime and may be punishable by imprisonment ranging from 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment. It was reported that criminal cases have already been initiated in several such instances, some individuals have been sentenced to long prison terms, and investigations into other cases are ongoing.
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. As a result of the war, which is still ongoing, hundreds of thousands of people on both sides are reported to have been killed.
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