2025 Azerbaijani coup plot

The 2025 Azerbaijani coup d'état attempt was a coup d'état to overthrow the government of Azerbaijan, reportedly involving senior members of the Azerbaijani political establishment. The plan was led by Ramiz Mehdiyev, a longtime political figure who served as Head of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan from 1994 to 2019 and later as President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

2025 Azerbaijani coup d'état attempt
Part of the Post-Soviet conflicts
Date January 2025 Location Baku, Azerbaijan Result Coup failed
Belligerents
State Council of Azerbaijan Supported by: Russia	Government of Azerbaijan
Commanders and leaders
Ramiz Mehdiyev Najmeddin Sadikov[1]	Ilham Aliyev
2 people are detained

Background

Ramiz Mehdiyev was a prominent member of the Azerbaijani political elite for decades, serving under both Heydar Aliyev and his son Ilham Aliyev. Known for his pro-Moscow orientation and close connections with the Russian political establishment, Mehdiyev held several influential posts in the Azerbaijani government and academic institutions.^[2]

Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia sharply deteriorated in late 2024, following the shootdown of an Azerbaijani civilian airliner by a Russian anti-aircraft missile, which killed 38 people.^[3] Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Moscow of failing to take responsibility for the incident, leading to a deep freeze in bilateral relations.^[4]

In October 2025, Aliyev met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where Putin acknowledged that a Russian missile was responsible for the tragedy and promised compensation to the victims' families.^[5][6] Although Aliyev expressed gratitude and suggested a possible thaw in relations, subsequent developments cast doubt on the durability of the rapprochement.

Events

According to a 16 October 2025 report by Azerbaijani media, Mehdiyev allegedly approached Russian contacts earlier in the year, during the height of the Azerbaijani-Russian diplomatic crisis, to propose the establishment of a provisional state council that would replace Aliyev’s government.^[7] The report claimed that Mehdiyev intended to lead the council himself and that Russian officials were initially receptive to the idea before concluding it was unlikely to succeed.^[7]

Azerbaijani media further alleged that President Putin informed Aliyev about the purported plot during their October meeting in Dushanbe.^[7] Mehdiyev was accused of engaging in "acts aimed at seizing state power" and of acquiring property through illegal means.

Aftermath

Arrests

On 24 September 2025, Azerbaijan's courts ordered the pre-trial detention of Adnan Ahmadzada, a senior executive formerly associated with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR).^[8] According to reports, Ahmadzada was placed under investigation by the State Security Service on charges of undermining state economic security and large-scale misappropriation of state property. The allegations centre on claims that he was involved in the mixing and contamination of Azeri Light crude oil with other petroleum sources, an act that allegedly distorted export quality and pricing. Media sources further suggested that the investigation may include accusations of facilitating the circumvention of international sanctions through irregular oil-trading practices.^[9] Azerbaijani authorities reportedly suspected Russian involvement in the scheme, suggesting that the operation may have served broader geopolitical or financial networks linked to Moscow.^[10]

In October 2025, several pro-government media outlets in Azerbaijan reported that Ramiz Mehdiyev had been charged with money laundering, treason, and attempted coup.^[11] A court subsequently placed him under four months of house arrest, pending trial, with the charges carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.^[7]

Analysts and local media noted possible overlaps between the two investigations, with speculation that Ahmadzada's activities could be connected to Mehdiyev's alleged network, reflecting an extensive internal probe into pro-Russian influence and corruption within Azerbaijan's political and energy elite.

Suspects

According to Azerbaijani sources, the following individuals are suspected of being involved in Ramiz Mehdiyev's alleged network to orchestrate a coup:

• Najmeddin Sadikov, former Chief of the General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
• Elmar Mammadyarov, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan^[12]
• Ali M. Hasanov, former head of Department on Social Political Issues, Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan^[12]
• Abulfas Garayev, former Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan^[12]
• Eldar Mahmudov, former Minister of National Security of Azerbaijan^[12]
• Adnan Ahmadzada, former deputy vice president of SOCAR^[12]
• Jahangir Hajiyev, former banker^[13]
• Ziya Mammadov, former Minister of Transportation of Azerbaijan^[13]
• Elton Mammadov, former MP and Ziya Mammadov's brother^[13]
• Kamal Aliyev, former civil civilian^[13]

Causes

Ramiz Mehdiyev, long regarded as one of Azerbaijan's most powerful political figures, served as the head of the Presidential Administration for over two decades, first under Heydar Aliyev and later under his son, Ilham Aliyev. His influence in state affairs earned him a reputation as the country's "gray cardinal," controlling much of the bureaucratic machinery from behind the scenes.^[14] However, his removal from office in October 2019, amid a reshuffling that favored figures close to First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, marked the beginning of a steep political decline and growing isolation from the ruling elite.^[15]

Observers interpreted Mehdiyev's increasingly confrontational tone as reflecting deeper political resentment. After his ouster in 2019, his removal symbolized the shift of power from the old Soviet-era administrative elite to a newer generation aligned with Mehriban Aliyeva's camp. Many analysts suggested that Mehdiyev perceived this realignment as a betrayal of the traditional balance of power he had helped to maintain since the Heydar Aliyev era.^[15]

The Wedding Controversy

Tensions between Mehdiyev and the government escalated dramatically in August 2020, when video footage emerged showing an extravagant wedding held for his granddaughter at his countryside residence in open violation of Azerbaijan's strict COVID-19 lockdown.^[16] The bride's father, Ilham Aliyev (Mehdiyev's son-in-law and namesake of the president), and the groom's father, Rovshan Mustafayev, a senior commander in the State Security Service, were both detained and sentenced to 15 days in jail for violating quarantine rules.^[16]

The footage, broadcast widely by state-aligned media, sparked public outrage across Azerbaijan, where citizens had endured months of pandemic restrictions. The government appeared to seize on this anger to further discredit Mehdiyev, portraying him as emblematic of the out-of-touch, corrupt old guard.^[16]

In an open statement on 24 August 2020, published through the website of the National Academy of Sciences (which he then led), Mehdiyev accused the authorities of applying "double standards," claiming that numerous officials had also held private gatherings during lockdown but faced no public humiliation or arrest. He described the incident as a targeted smear campaign aimed at destroying his legacy.

The following day, Mehdiyev released a sharper statement threatening to sue MPs, journalists, and political analysts who accused him of leading a "Russian fifth column" in Azerbaijan and of obstructing President Aliyev's reform agenda during his 24-year tenure.^[17]

See also

• 2025 Azerbaijan–Russia diplomatic crisis