New details have emerged regarding Azerbaijani citizens working in Russia who are being forcibly sent to fight in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to information obtained by APA, Azerbaijani citizen Tahir Rufullayev, born in 1980, was forcibly sent by the Russian side to the war in Ukraine in January 2026, Caliber.Az reports.
Tahir Rufullayev’s mother, Sonabayim Farziyeva, told APA that her son secretly contacted her on January 15 and informed her that he was being taken to the war.
According to her, Rufullayev initially went to Russia for temporary work but later found himself in an illegal situation.
Farziyeva stated that her son was detained by Russian police some time ago and was given a choice between imprisonment or being sent to war.
She also claimed that he was threatened with fabricated criminal charges.
According to Farziyeva, her son was subjected to physical abuse and held in detention for months.
Farziyeva said that legal proceedings were expected to determine her son’s fate, but those hearings never resulted in a verdict. According to her, the first court hearing, scheduled for December 22, 2025, did not take place. The second court hearing was set for January 24, 2026.
"During that period, we expected that my son would either be imprisoned or deported. But on January 15, my son was forcibly sent to the war," she added.
The mother said her last contact with her son was a brief and distressing call made under secretive circumstances.
Farziyeva appealed to Azerbaijani authorities for assistance.
Reports of migrant workers in Russia, including Azerbaijani citizens, being forcibly sent to fight in Ukraine have circulated repeatedly.
By Sabina Mammadli
