Shahin Shikhlinski, the leader of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, has been placed on the wanted list by Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs, Azernews reports, citing official Russian sources.

While the exact charges against Shikhlinski remain undisclosed, he is wanted in connection with a criminal case currently under investigation.

The development follows a series of events on June 27, when the Russian Federal Security Service conducted raids on the homes of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg. During these operations, two Azerbaijani brothers, Ziyeddin and Huseyn Safarov, were killed, and several others were detained.

Forensic examinations of the Safarov brothers' bodies revealed multiple injuries, prompting Azerbaijan to initiate a criminal investigation with sufficient legal grounds.

Shikhlinski had previously been summoned by the Investigative Committee of the Sakhalinsk Region for testimony as a witness and was subsequently released.

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