Azerbaijan is reportedly considering a significant shift in its policy. It may begin supplying arms to Ukraine, a dramatic shift prompted by a series of recent Russian attacks and suspected sabotage on Azerbaijani energy assets. The potential move follows a direct Russian airstrike on an Azerbaijani-owned gas facility in Ukraine and an alleged contamination of its crude oil destined for Europe, signaling a sharp deterioration in relations between Baku and Moscow.
The pro-government Azerbaijani media outlet Caliber first reported the potential policy change on August 11. Citing anonymous "reliable sources," the outlet stated that Baku would "begin considering" lifting its arms embargo on Ukraine "if Russia continues its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan's interests." The report noted that Russia's "systematic" strikes on Azerbaijani energy infrastructure in Ukraine were forcing Baku to contemplate retaliatory measures that would "inevitably lead to a further deepening of the crisis in bilateral relations."
The Allaged Russian Attack
According to the OC Media, the immediate catalyst for the report was a Russian attack on August 6 against facilities in Ukraine's Odesa Oblast, which included an oil storage depot owned by Azerbaijan's state oil company, SOCAR, and a crucial gas compressor station. Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk confirmed the station was part of the Trans-Balkan pipeline route used to supply Europe with non-Russian gas, including test volumes from Azerbaijan. "This is a clear and understandable signal for all of Europe," Hrynchuk stated.
The incident prompted a direct response from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. A statement from the president's office noted that the leaders "condemned the deliberate airstrikes" and affirmed the attacks would "not hinder energy cooperation." The day after the call, Aliyev issued a decree providing $2 million from his reserve fund to help purchase Azerbaijani-made electrical equipment for Ukraine's battered energy sector.
Romanian Media's Allegations
Adding to the tensions, Romanian media have reported that Bucharest is investigating whether Russia was behind the contamination of a significant shipment of Azerbaijani oil. According to a report by the outlet G4 on August 9, a batch of crude oil arriving from the Turkish port of Ceyhan was rendered unusable due to the presence of organic chlorides. The contamination, which was also detected by the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline Company, forced Romania to release 80,000 tons of crude oil from its emergency reserves. G4 cited official sources suggesting the incident was being considered a "hybrid warfare operation" and a "relatively simple Russian sabotage operation."
This series of events marks a significant turning point in Azerbaijan's stance. Since Russia's 2022 invasion, Baku has provided over $40 million in humanitarian aid but has steadfastly refused to send military support. As recently as April 2024, President Aliyev stated, "Even if we are asked, we do not give weapons to Ukraine, we can say this openly, we will not." However, his tone has shifted dramatically. During a July 2025 speech, he openly supported Ukraine, advising them to "never come to terms with the occupation," a sentiment that now appears to be hardening into official policy considerations.