The overwhelming majority of Russians in the South Caucasus live in Azerbaijan for the reason that the republic has never treated them as strangers, the chairman of the Russian community of Azerbaijan, MP Mikhail Zabelin, said in an interview with a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, recalling that during the war for Karabakh, Russians voluntarily defended the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
Above all, he noted that a multi-layer Russian diaspora in Azerbaijan has been forming for nearly two centuries. It was managed to keep it almost fully in Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Soviet Union with the support of national leader Heydar Aliyev. "It was a difficult period, many Russians remained abroad from their historical homeland, and they needed support and assistance in adapting to their new conditions of life. During that time we created the Russian community of Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev was then in Nakhchivan, he called me and asked: "Why do I need to create a Russian community, are we not one people?" I said: "Heydar Aliyevich, the Popular Front came to power and it led to many problems, Russians fear for their future. He answered: 'Alright, I will help when I am back. Inform everybody not to leave Azerbaijan',’’ Zibeline said.
"Indeed, when Heydar Aliyev was elected president in 1993, he met often with me, and we discussed different issues. For the first time in the history of Muslim states, our president took part in Christian festivals. In January Heydar Aliyev called and asked: "Christmas is soon, so how will you celebrate it? "I said that at the beginning in a church and then at a concert." Well, I won’t visit the church, but I will visit the concert.’’ Heydar Aliyev actually visited the concert, listened and then said: ‘’Stay here, I am President, I am the guarantor of the protection of your rights and freedoms. Everything will be fine. Russia is our closest neighbor, our friend, and we will do everything to establish good relations with Russia," the chairman of the Russian community of Azerbaijan continued his story.
Heydar Aliyev continued to support Russian residents of Azerbaijan, even in times of difficult relations with Russia in the Yeltsin era. "Heydar Aliyev repeatedly said that Yeltsin was not Russia, Yeltsin was not the Russian people, and everything will be fine. He maintained the preservation of the Russian language and culture in Azerbaijan.
The mentality of the Azerbaijani people played a key role. "Russian people have never experienced any pressure, and they have never been second-class citizens. Relations have always been very kind and helpful, sometimes we even noted that our Azerbaijani neighbor was closer than some relatives, because he always helped in solving some problems. That is why the majority of Russians stayed to live in Azerbaijan,’’ he said.
Moreover, Azerbaijan was home for many Russians and that is why they protected it during the Karabakh war.
