The dismissal of Mikhail Gusman, the first deputy editor-in-chief of the TASS News Agency, from his post by order of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin the other day was not met with an unambiguous response in Azerbaijan.

Axar.az reports that Mikhail Gusman, who was born in Baku on January 23, 1950, has always been distinguished by his love for Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis have accepted this Baku native as their own.

Gusman has also contributed to the development of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, and has tried to prevent information provocations during any tension. This gives reason to say that he also plays the role of a bridge between Russia and Azerbaijan.

Gusman is 75 years old, and in this regard, his dismissal should not be considered strange. However, it is no coincidence that a famous journalist who always demonstrated his Baku origin was dismissed immediately after participating in the 3rd Shusha International Media Forum held in Khankendi on July 19-21, almost as soon as he returned from the forum to Moscow. Russia also demonstrates its interest in creating this impression, but the reasons for his dismissal are not disclosed at all.

There are several points here:

- Kremlin representatives admit that relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are not at all good, that there is tension. However, they express their confidence in the improvement of relations. In this case, why should a person who will play a role in improving these relations be dismissed from his post?

- Mikhail Gusman is a person who has the opportunity to come to Azerbaijan at any time, be received by officials, including his colleagues, and even President Aliyev, and is met with love, and whose request is difficult to turn down. Why would Russia lose such a “live communication channel” in its relations with Azerbaijan?

Against the background of these and other questions, intellectuals in Azerbaijan, especially media representatives, are already expressing their confidence one after another that this is connected with Gusman’s arrival at the forum in Khankendi, and are making accusations against Russia.

Gulu Maharramli, who wrote that “the dismissal of the famous Mikhail Gusman from the position of deputy director of the TASS news agency for his participation in the Shusha forum shows how poor the collapsing Russia and the sinking Putin are,” demonstrated that he did not even doubt this.

Media expert Rashid Hajili also called “the dismissal of Mikhail Gusman from his position a clear expression of Moscow’s anger at Baku.”

If the allegations are true, then it turns out that the Kremlin has begun to burn bridges with Azerbaijan.