Kremlin 'betrayed' Mehdiyev: A coup was planned in Azerbaijan

Former head of the Azerbaijani President's Office and Security Council member Ramiz Mehdiyev was planning a power seizure in Azerbaijan with Russian support. According to APA, the scheme was revealed by Russian sources during a meeting of presidents in Dushanbe.

Mehdiyev proposed to create a transitional government body, a transitional state council, after the violent takeover of power, which would be led by himself, the 87-year-old former bureaucrat. He also provided the Russian side with information about the proposed members of this council.

During the meeting in Dushanbe between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, it was the Russian side that informed Baku about Mehdiyev's proposal and the activities of his network. It appears that Moscow has withdrawn its support for Mehdiyev and officially informed the Azerbaijani side about this.

He has been accused of attempting to seize power, state treason, and laundering property obtained through criminal means. The court has sentenced him to four months of house arrest. Mehdiyev may also lose state awards and honorary titles.