Azerbaijan has summoned Russia's ambassador to protest what it said was a Russian drone strike on a fuel station owned by state energy company SOCAR in Ukraine's Mykolaiv region, accusing Moscow of repeatedly targeting Azerbaijani-owned facilities.
In a statement on Monday, Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said the latest strike took place on Sunday and followed previous attacks that damaged other SOCAR assets in Ukraine, including an oil depot in Odesa.
"The continuation of such incidents, despite repeated warnings, indicates the deliberate nature of these attacks," the ministry said.
Russia has intensified strikes on fuel stations across Ukraine, describing them as retaliation for Kiev's expanding campaign against Russian energy infrastructure, which has disrupted fuel supplies in several Russian regions.
Moscow did not immediately respond to Azerbaijan's protest or its allegation that the SOCAR facility had been deliberately targeted.
Balancing ties with both sides
Since Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022, Azerbaijan has sought to maintain working relations with both Moscow and Kiev.
Baku has provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine while stopping short of joining Western sanctions against Russia, seeking to preserve its strategic ties with both countries despite the conflict.
