Category: Azer News

Another shipment of goods from Russia to Armenia will transit through Azerbaijan, with 242 tons of propane scheduled to be transported by rail on August 24.

According to Report, the seven-wagon shipment will depart from Bilajari railway station and head toward Boyuk Kesik station.

To date, more than 50,000 tons of grain, nearly 9,000 tons of fertilizer, 1,172 tons of propane, 133 tons of aluminum, 1,114 tons of coal and 67 tons of timber have been transported from Russia to Armenia via Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has directly exported nearly 15,000 tons of diesel fuel and around 5,000 tons of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline to Armenia.

The latest shipment comes amid a series of growing cargo movements between Russia and Armenia through Azerbaijani territory. Recent shipments have included wheat, barley and propane.

An anniversary exhibition marking the 20th anniversary of the TÜRKSOY Photographers’ Meeting has opened in Budapest, showcasing images highlighting Hungary’s historical, cultural and natural heritage.

The exhibition was organised through cooperation between the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) and the Lakitelek Foundation, and was created as part of the 20th edition of the photographers’ meeting.

Thirteen photographers from different countries and regions of the Turkic world took part in the initiative. Their works, produced during an 11-day programme, are now on display at the Budapest Art Bridge (BAB) Gallery.

During the programme, the photographers travelled to Budapest, Pannonhalma, Kalocsa, Hortobágy and the UNESCO World Heritage village of Hollóko, documenting Hungary’s historic monuments, traditional arts, cultural traditions and natural landscapes.

The exhibition also features photographs from the Great Kurultáj, a Hun-Turkic cultural gathering held in Bugac, including images of equestrian performances, traditional costumes and ceremonies.

Other highlights include the traditional pastoral life of the Hortobágy plains, Przewalski horses at the Pentezug Wild Horse Reserve, and examples of Kalocsa’s distinctive ceramic art, traditional clothing and decorative wall painting.

The TÜRKSOY Photographers’ Meeting has been held for 20 years with the aim of building a rich visual archive of the cities, people, traditions and cultural heritage of the Turkic world.

The Budapest exhibition underlines the initiative’s broader role in documenting and promoting the cultural links connecting Turkic communities and regions through photography.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump are likely to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China in November if both attend, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov said Sunday, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

‘If the leaders are at the same event, then it seems to me they will inevitably meet and talk,’ Ushakov said in an interview with Russian broadcaster VGTRK.

According to him, there had been no signals or indications of plans for such a meeting yet, but the APEC summit is still about three months away.

‘We have to live until then. Before that, we still have many major international events,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a separate interview with VGTRK that NATO and EU countries would not be able to publicly distance themselves from providing military assistance to Ukraine and pursuing what he described as an anti-Russian policy.

Lavrov said Russia would take into account the actions of what he called ‘openly Russophobic elites’ in Britain, Brussels, Paris, Berlin and other NATO and EU countries.

‘They know what they are doing and are trying to publicly distance themselves from it in advance. It won’t work,’ he said.

Another Group C match at the European Volleyball Championship in Baku has been played at the National Gymnastics Arena.

Belgium defeated Portugal 3-0, winning the sets 25-16, 25-21 and 25-11.

The victory marked Belgium’s second win in the tournament. In their opening Group C match, the Belgian team defeated Spain 3-2.

Azerbaijan will face Spain in the other Group C match scheduled for today. The game is set to begin at 18:30 local time.

On August 23, an official welcome ceremony was held for President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev at the Kuksaroy State Residence in Tashkent.

A guard of honor was lined up for President Ilham Aliyev at a square adorned with the national flags of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomed President Ilham Aliyev.

The national anthems of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan were performed.

The chief of the guard of honor reported to the President of Azerbaijan.

The Presidents reviewed the guard of honor.

State and government officials of Uzbekistan were introduced to President Ilham Aliyev, while members of the Azerbaijani delegation were introduced to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The guard of honor marched past the Presidents to the accompaniment of a military march.

The heads of state posed together for photographs.

On August 23, an award ceremony for the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented the highest degree of the ‘Dostlik’ (Friendship) Order to the President of Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev presented the ‘Heydar Aliyev’ Order to the President of Uzbekistan.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated online in an inauguration and groundbreaking ceremony for projects implemented by Azerbaijan in Uzbekistan, held in Tashkent.

As part of the event, the ‘Davr Bank’ (AR International Bank), a gypsum plant (‘Matanat-A’), and two STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) schools named after Landau (‘Landau Education Group’) were inaugurated.

In addition, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for five new SOCAR filling stations, the ‘Sea Breeze Uzbekistan’ residential and recreational complex (‘Agalarov Development’), the ‘Baku City’ residential complex (‘TuranAZ’), a silver ore processing and concentration plant (‘Sur Gold and Silver Project’), and fruit orchards (‘Gold Fresh Fruits’).

Sudan’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that it had shot down a ‘hostile’ drone in Blue Nile state in the country’s southeast, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

In a statement on the US social media company Facebook, the ministry said the drone was launched from Ethiopian territory and was flying over Blue Nile state, near Kurmuk.

There was no immediate comment from Ethiopian authorities.

Earlier this month, the Sudanese army said that it had shot down three FH-95 drones in North Kordofan state in the south of the country.

Sudanese authorities and human rights organizations have accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of targeting civilian infrastructure.

The group does not usually comment on these accusations, claiming it is working to ‘protect civilians.’

In addition to Blue Nile and Darfur, the three Kordofan states – North, West and South Kordofan – have witnessed clashes between the army and the RSF since Oct. 25, 2025.

???????Sudan has been gripped by a war between the army and the RSF since April 2023, leaving tens of thousands dead and displacing around 13 million people, according to UN and international estimates.

Azerbaijan is committed to further developing bilateral relations with Russia based on the principles of strategic partnership and alliance, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Rahman Mustafayev said in an interview with RTVI.

Mustafayev said Azerbaijan’s position was reaffirmed by President Ilham Aliyev during telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 11 and July 28.

‘Baku is committed to further developing bilateral cooperation with Moscow based on the principles of strategic partnership and alliance,’ Mustafayev said.

However, he noted that advancing allied cooperation and implementing the provisions of the Declaration on Allied Interaction signed on February 22, 2022, which forms a foundation of bilateral relations, is difficult amid what he described as an extremely negative information environment targeting Azerbaijan.

According to the ambassador, this environment is being deliberately created by some Russian experts, bloggers and journalists through social media platforms and media outlets.

‘Today, at least 96 Russian news portals, Telegram and YouTube channels, as well as other media outlets with audiences numbering in the millions, periodically promote narratives portraying Azerbaijan as an ‘unfriendly’ state toward Russia,’ Mustafayev said, adding that the number of such platforms is increasing every day.

The Azerbaijani diplomat said Baku had raised the issue through diplomatic channels and brought specific examples of what it considers insulting and provocative statements targeting Azerbaijan, its people and its leadership to the attention of the Russian side.

According to Mustafayev, such statements undermine the strategic partnership and allied relations between Azerbaijan and Russia.

‘We consider this situation completely abnormal and unacceptable and expect a principled response and concrete steps from Moscow to rectify it,’ the ambassador said.

Lithuania has deployed NASAMS air defense systems in areas near the capital Vilnius, replacing the previously used RBS-70 systems.

According BNS, Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander General Raimundas Vaikšnor?s said the NASAMS systems provide more effective and broader protection for the capital.

‘Today, the areas near Vilnius are protected more effectively, with greater capabilities and a wider range,’ Vaikšnor?s said.

The general also noted that using expensive NASAMS missiles against relatively inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicles may not be economically efficient. However, he said Lithuania currently has no other means available to counter this type of threat.

NASAMS is considered a medium-range air defense system, while the RBS-70 is primarily designed to engage aerial targets at shorter ranges.

Lithuania has been expanding its air defense capabilities in recent years. In addition to NASAMS, the country also operates mobile short-range air defense systems based on the RBS-70 NG.