Reaction to graffiti with Z becomes message of Azerbaijani authorities

With the information about the detention of a resident of Baku, suspected of applying graffiti with the letter Z on a wall of a cultural monument, the authorities of Azerbaijan pointedly distanced themselves from supporting the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, analysts say.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on June 13, the letter Z, a symbol of support for the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, appeared on the fortress wall in the State Historical-Architectural Reserve “Icherisheher” in Baku. Alexander Saprykin, a 67-year-old local resident was detained on suspicion of the violation.

The demonstration of the sign Z in a public place in Baku took place for the first time since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Tofig Tyurkel, an observer of the “Turan” agency, notes. According to him, the incident attracted attention because the sign Z is associated with the actions of the Russian Armed forces.

The detention of Alexander Saprykin is “to a certain extent a political message to the world” to dissociate Azerbaijan from the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, the political observer adds.

“The media coverage of the incident was an attempt by the Azerbaijani authorities to present themselves as a ‘supporter of the civilized world,’ which suppresses the symbols of the special military operation in Ukraine. In fact, the close partnership between Baku and Moscow remains,” believes Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, the head of the Institute for Public Policy.

The actions of the graffiti author can most likely be qualified as petty hooliganism and punished with a fine or 15 days of arrest, says Yalchin Imanov, an Azerbaijani legal expert.