ISW explains link between Putin's visit to Azerbaijan and events in Russian Kursk region

This is stated in the report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Putin arrived on a two-day visit to Baku on August 18 with a Russian delegation, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The Russian leader met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss Russian-Azerbaijani bilateral relations.

The delegations discussed bilateral energy ties, Russian-language initiatives in Azerbaijan, and Russia's readiness to mediate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“The timing of this visit is noteworthy given the ongoing situation in Kursk Oblast and the Kremlin’s continued efforts to downplay the Ukrainian incursion’s magnitude and impact,” the Institute's analysts emphasize.

They suggest that Russian state media focused on Putin's trip to Azerbaijan, covering the smallest details, probably partly to divert attention from the “uncomfortable situation” in Russia, filling the information space with a demonstration of the Kremlin's global diplomatic activity and its alleged successes.

• On August 18, Putin arrived in Azerbaijan for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion.