Video on Chechen public account discloses Kremlin's interests in Karabakh conflict

The Russian authorities have obligations to Armenia, and they can benefit from statements in support of Azerbaijan as an excuse for non-interference in the Karabakh conflict, political analysts suggest.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Elkhan Suleimanov, Chechen Minister for Public Health, expressed his support for Azerbaijan amid the hostilities in Karabakh. The authorities of Chechnya will not help Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh without Kremlin's approval, expert Vasily Dandykin believes. Political analyst Ali Magomaev suggests that at most, natives of Chechnya may be included in the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation.

Political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin believes that the Kremlin "understands very well all the threats of intervention in the conflict, including the threat to spoil relations with the Muslim minority in Russia and the Islamic world as a whole."

Maintaining good relations with Turkey can spoil relations with Armenia, and here references to the opinion of the Muslim population of Russia become important, the political analyst notes.

The dual-track approach of Russia is a consequence of the weakening of its influence in Southern Caucasus, Dmitry Oreshkin believes. Meanwhile, the political analyst does not consider it possible to talk about special relations between Grozny and Baku.

The war in Karabakh has put Ramzan Kadyrov in a difficult situation, says economist Sergey Zhavoronkov.

"Ramzan Kadyrov cannot contradict the President Putin's official position, but at the same time, he positions himself as one of the leaders of Russian Muslims and the Islamic world in general, while the sympathies of the Muslim society are on the side of Azerbaijan," the expert explained.