Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador in Baku on 2 July to protest what it described as Moscow’s “unfriendly actions and steps that have damaged relations between the two countries,” according to statements carried by several regional outlets. The move came hours after Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow had issued a formal note to the Azerbaijani ambassador in Moscow, accusing Baku of “deliberate steps to dismantle bilateral relations” and of taking “unacceptable actions toward Sputnik Azerbaijan and its employees.” The reciprocal démarches underscore a rapid deterioration in ties between the two former Soviet republics, which traditionally cooperate on energy transit and regional security. Neither side specified what measures might follow, but both signalled that further steps would depend on the other’s response.