Russian Foreign Ministry: Russia and Azerbaijan - strategic allies

Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are those of strategic allies, and certain forces resent that, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We must remember that they (Moscow-Baku relations) maintain relations of strategic allies. And, certainly, there are forces who resent that," Maria Zakharova said.

She stressed that the relationship between the two countries reflects "a period in time when we were part of one state."

"This involves a deep history of our cooperation, contacts between people, and historic challenges that we countered," Maria Zakharova said.

According to her, the allied relations "provoke a feeling of anger and a desire to impede them among certain forces," but Russia "must prevent this from happening".