Azerbaijan backs Ukraine with financial aid after Russian strikes on SOCAR oil depot
Photo: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (Getty Images)
Azerbaijan has allocated $2 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine following Russia's deliberate strikes on the oil depot of the Azerbaijani company SOCAR, according to a decree by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
The funds from Azerbaijan's reserve fund will be allocated to the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy. They will be used to purchase and ship electrical equipment.
In particular, the funds will go to support the Ukrainian power grid, which has been damaged by Russian attacks.
The decision was made based on humanitarian principles and bilateral and multilateral agreements between Baku and Kyiv.
Azerbaijan pointed out that in recent years, they've sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine a bunch of times because of the war.
The decree also emphasizes that cooperation between the countries is based on friendship and strategic partnership, in particular on agreements and joint statements by the presidents in 2000, 2008, and 2022.
Russia attacks Azerbaijani targets in Ukraine
Yesterday, Azerbaijan expressed its anger toward Russia and threatened to lift the ban on arms supplies to Ukraine if Russia continues to attack Ukrainian gas infrastructure or Azerbaijani companies' facilities in Ukraine.
Also yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The parties condemned Russia's deliberate strike on the oil depot of the Azerbaijani company SOCAR.
On the night of August 8, Russians attacked the SOCAR oil depot in the Odesa region with drones. The strike caused a fire, damaged a diesel fuel pipeline, and reportedly caused casualties.
Before this, Russia attacked a gas transportation infrastructure facility near the Ukrainian border with Romania in Orlivka, Odesa region. Gas from the United States and Azerbaijan was transported to Ukraine through this station. Azerbaijani gas also reached Europe through the station.
