ISTANBUL

Azerbaijan slammed Russian state news agency Tass on Thursday over what it described as an “act of disrespect and insult” to the country’s territorial integrity.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada said in a statement that the news agency’s reference to the city of Khankendi in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region as “Stepanakert” is considered by Baku as “an act of disrespect and insult to the territorial integrity of our country.”

“We expect the Russian side to cease the distortion of Azerbaijani toponyms and the use of names adopted by the former separatist puppet regime to refer to our territories,” Hajizada said.

“If such actions continue, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, Azerbaijan may also refer to various toponyms in Russia by their historical names,” he further said.

Hajizada also said that Baku expects an apology and an “appropriate correction” from Tass on this issue, going on to express that Azerbaijan will otherwise take “relevant measures” concerning Tass’ operations in the country in accordance with the law.

Neither Russian authorities nor the state news agency have immediately commented on Hajizada’s statement.