Russia Signs Military Cooperation Deal With Azerbaijan, Eyes New Arms Sales Amid Turkey Tensions

Russia and Azerbaijan have reportedly signed a new military cooperation agreement to modernize facilities for repairing Azerbaijani armored vehicles, while Moscow is also pursuing a deal to supply Russian-made Pantsir-S1 air defense systems. The announcement comes amid growing tensions between Azerbaijan and Turkey, traditionally close military allies, following Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s absence from a summit of Turkic leaders in Ankara.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Dmitry Shugayev, director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, announced the agreement during an interview with Russian state television channel Zvezda broadcast on Nov. 1. “We are not only offering our finished products today, but are also participating in military-technological cooperation,” Shugayev said. “An entire program has been signed that provides for the modernization and construction of facilities to repair armored vehicles in service with the Azerbaijani army.” The program will involve Russian specialists in developing and modernizing maintenance infrastructure for Azerbaijan’s existing military equipment. Shugayev also expressed confidence that Moscow could eventually reach an agreement with Baku on supplying Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile and gun systems. “The product is in very high demand among our customers, and I think that after some time we will reach an agreement with Azerbaijan, and they will come around to it,” he said. Other Topics of Interest US Lifts Last Sanctions on Belarusian Boeing Parts The Commerce Department decision will be a boon for Boeing operators who in past years have bypassed US sanctions on Russia by maintaining planes in Belarus No contract for the Pantsir-S1 systems has been announced, and neither side has disclosed potential quantities, costs or delivery schedules. The Pantsir-S1 is a Russian short-range air defense system designed to counter aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and drones. Russia has deployed the system extensively during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have repeatedly destroyed Russian Pantsir systems. The open-source military tracking project Oryx has documented dozens of Russian Pantsir losses since February 2022, based on photographic and video evidence. Moscow strengthens defense ties with Baku The agreement marks a new development in military cooperation between Moscow and Baku despite strains in their relationship following the December 2024 crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger aircraft damaged by Russian air defenses. Russia has historically been one of Azerbaijan’s leading arms suppliers, providing T-90S tanks, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and other military equipment. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russian weapons accounted for approximately 60% of Azerbaijan’s major arms imports between 2011 and 2020. However, Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine complicated its ability to fulfill foreign weapons contracts. In December 2024, Aliyev acknowledged delays in Russian arms deliveries, citing the demands placed on Russia’s defense industry by its war against Ukraine. The latest cooperation program comes as Moscow continues seeking foreign customers for its defense industry while Russian forces remain heavily engaged in Ukraine. Azerbaijani expert warns Russia could exploit repair deal for war in Ukraine Isa Sadigov, Azerbaijan’s former deputy defense minister and a retired colonel, sharply criticized the agreement in an interview with Kyiv Post, warning that renewed military cooperation with Moscow could leave Azerbaijan dependent on Russia and potentially benefit the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine. Sadigov questioned why Azerbaijan would turn to Russia to repair military equipment when it already has facilities capable of maintaining armored vehicles. He warned that the program could serve as a cover for transferring Azerbaijani military equipment to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, raising doubts about whether the vehicles would ever return to Azerbaijan. Neither Moscow nor Baku has announced plans to transfer Azerbaijani military equipment to Russian forces. Sadigov argued that Russia’s own demand for military hardware raised questions about the arrangement’s true purpose. “Russia needs weapons itself. Is Russia really going to put aside its own military equipment to repair Azerbaijan’s?” he asked. Sadigov recalled how Moscow previously restricted Azerbaijan’s access to spare parts and ammunition, forcing Baku to seek alternatives from Ukraine and Turkey. He warned that continued reliance on Russian-made weapons could expose Azerbaijan to similar political pressure in the future. Sadigov questioned the military value of additional Russian weapons, citing the destruction of tanks and Pantsir-S1 air defense systems by relatively inexpensive Ukrainian drones. Sadigov also expressed skepticism that Moscow would actually deliver the proposed Pantsir-S1 systems if Azerbaijan agreed to purchase them, citing Russia’s own mounting military requirements. Sadigov drew parallels with Armenia, which has previously complained about delays in Russian arms deliveries despite making advance payments. He warned that Azerbaijan could face similar difficulties, potentially paying substantial sums for equipment that might be delayed or never delivered. ‘There is blood being spilled in Ukraine’ Sadigov was particularly critical of the financial implications of renewed arms purchases from Moscow while Russian forces continue striking Ukrainian cities. He criticized Baku for pursuing new military arrangements with Russia despite its publicly expressed support for Ukraine. “There is blood being spilled in Ukraine, and you are buying weapons from Russia, financing those who are bombing their cities and killing their people,” he said. Agreement comes amid Azerbaijan-Turkey tensions The announcement also coincides with visible disagreements between Azerbaijan and Turkey, whose strategic partnership has long been promoted under the slogan “One Nation, Two States.” Aliyev did not attend the recent Organization of Turkic States summit in Ankara despite an invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Azerbaijan was represented by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. His absence followed a dispute over restrictions on religious clothing in Azerbaijani schools, which drew criticism from Turkish political figures and prompted accusations of interference in Azerbaijan’s domestic affairs. The renewed Russian-Azerbaijani military cooperation agreement signals Baku’s willingness to deepen ties with Moscow despite tensions with Ankara, potentially strengthening Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus amid its war against Ukraine. Sevinj Osmanqizi is an experienced journalist who writes extensively for Kyiv Post on foreign policy, international security and geopolitics. Based in Washington, D.C., her work focuses on Ukraine, Russia’s war and the broader post-Soviet space.