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The uproar over the crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet in Russian airspace is being deliberately intensified in Azerbaijan, opposition MP Tigran Abrahamyan says.

"Although some Russian circles view this anti-Russian wave as part of the West's campaign against Russia, citing the visits of American and British intelligence chiefs to Azerbaijan, it could reflect the unchecked ambitions of the Aliyev family,” the Pativ Unem faction deputy wrote on Facebook on Friday.

Abrahamyan claimed that in recent years Azerbaijan’s foreign policy toward Russia had been driven by two primary goals: first, to maintain a strategic balance in the conflict with Armenia and to secure Russia’s silence – or even support – during its military operations against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) following the 2020 war.

"Azerbaijan has capitalized on Armenia’s turbulent and reckless foreign policy, extracting the maximum advantage from its relations with Russia. The Azerbaijani elite now believes their country is in a position to assert itself as a "regional power" and challenge geopolitical actors," the MP stated.

"This is reflected not only in Azerbaijan's relations with Russia, but also with the European Union and the United States. Following its military success, Baku occasionally loses its sense of restraint, which cannot go unpunished by key international actors," he warned.

Abrahamyan deplored the lack of adequate response from Armenia’s government. "In these critical times, Armenia’s leadership is still unable to act independently and complies with the Turkish-Azerbaijani whims," the MP concluded.