After enormous fight in Moscow café, Chechen and Azerbaijani officials suspect foul play

Adam Delimkhanov, a deputy in Russia’s federal State Duma from the Republic of Chechnya, met with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia Polad Bülbüloğlu after a massive armed attack on the southeast Moscow café Neolit, Vestnik Kavkaza reported. During the Valentine’s Day attack, dozens of men entered the café and began shooting, sparking a physical conflict. No one in the facility was seriously injured. The establishment’s owner suspected that a grudge between Chechens and Azerbaijanis in Russia’s capital might have been behind the attack.

A video of the meeting posted on the Vestnik Kavkaza website was later deleted. A recording remains available on Twitter:

Delimkhanov, the Chechen Duma deputy, said he believed the fight was staged in order to interfere with Chechen-Azerbaijani relations. Bülbüloğlu agreed, saying, “It would be difficult to break down our friendship. Unfortunately, there are third parties who are making efforts to do just that.”