Russian Community of Azerbaijan

The Russian Community of Azerbaijan (Русская община Азербайджана, РОА) is a republic-wide civic organization established on 5 May 1993 to unite ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking residents of Azerbaijan. It is the largest Russian community in the South Caucasus, with approximately 120,000 members. Its chairman is Mikhail Yuryevich Zabelin, a member of the board of the International Council of Russian Compatriots and a deputy of Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis. The community operates through 15 commissions covering areas such as organization, economic programs, citizenship and migration, education, social affairs and charity, protection of citizens' rights, religious affairs, ties with foreign communities, ties with political parties and social movements, and veterans' affairs. It has a Republican Council of 25 members, a Council of Elders, a Russian Culture Center, a youth club called Sadko, a business club, a newspaper called Vestnik, and a press service. It maintains 12 district organizations in Baku and 48 district and city branches across Azerbaijan. The community's stated goal is to unite Russian compatriots in Azerbaijan and to preserve and spread the Russian language, culture, and traditions. It co-founded the Azerbaijan-Russian Educational Center, on the basis of which the Baku branch of Moscow State Open University named after V. S. Chernomyrdin was created in 1996, educating more than 900 students before the Moscow International Open University closed in 2010. It supports Russian-language schools, including basic secondary school No. 145 with a Russian ethno-cultural component. A Russian House operates in Baku with a literary club, and an Association of Russian-Language Educational Institutions of Azerbaijan is active. The community's newspaper Vestnik was registered on 20 April 1994 with the Ministry of Press and Information of Azerbaijan (registration No. 163). It was published weekly from 27 January 1995 to 20 December 1998 with a circulation of 5,000 copies and 16 pages, but currently does not appear due to lack of funding. The community also engages in charity, including the Rossotrudnichestvo campaign "Help Children Get Ready for School," which by September 2024 had been held four times in Baku, Ganja, Khachmaz, Sumgait, Lankaran, Saatly, Sabirabad, Gusar, and the village of Ivanovka in the Ismayilli district. On 18 April 2026, Mikhail Zabelin was re-elected chairman of the Russian Community of Azerbaijan.

The Russian Community of Azerbaijan was created on 5 May 1993. It has approximately 120,000 members and is the largest Russian community in the South Caucasus. Its chairman is Mikhail Yuryevich Zabelin, a member of the board of the International Council of Russian Compatriots and a deputy of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan. The community has republic-wide status and unites representatives of Russian nationality living in Azerbaijan. The community's structure includes 15 commissions working with citizens in various areas. A Russian Culture Center has been created. A Russian university was also established, with the ROA as one of its founders, along with a children's sports and health camp and a newspaper. The community's activities cover almost all districts of the republic. It has 12 district organizations in Baku and 48 district and city branches throughout Azerbaijan. The community includes the Republican Council of the ROA (25 people), commissions (organizational, economic program, citizenship and migration, public education, social issues and charity, protection of citizens' rights, religious affairs, ties with foreign communities, ties with political parties and social movements, veterans of war and armed forces affairs), the Council of Elders, the Russian Culture Center, the youth club "Sadko," the business club, the newspaper "Vestnik," and the press service. Membership can be fixed or non-fixed. Members can be individuals regardless of nationality, citizens' associations, and collectives of enterprises, institutions, and organizations that fully share the goals and objectives and are interested in effectively implementing the tasks assigned to the community. The community's printed organ is the newspaper "Vestnik," registered on 20 April 1994 with the Ministry of Press and Information of the Azerbaijan Republic, registration No. 163. It was published once a week with a circulation of 5,000 copies, 16 pages, from 27 January 1995 to 20 December 1998. It was distributed in cities and districts of the republic. Currently, the newspaper does not appear due to lack of financial resources. A Russian House operates in Baku. A literary club operates at the Russian House. The Association of Russian-Language Educational Institutions of Azerbaijan is active. On 18 April 2026, Mikhail Zabelin was re-elected chairman of the Russian Community of Azerbaijan. The community's goal is to unite Russian compatriots of Azerbaijan and to preserve and spread the Russian language, culture, and traditions. The Russian community is a founder of the Azerbaijan-Russian Educational Center, on the basis of which the Baku branch of Moscow State Open University named after V. S. Chernomyrdin was created in 1996. It educated more than 900 students. In 2010, the Moscow International Open University was closed. The community supports the creation of Russian-language schools. There is basic secondary school No. 145 with instruction in Russian with a Russian ethno-cultural component. From 1990 to 2015, the school's director was an active figure of the Community, member of the Republican Council, and chairman of the education commission, Nikolai Zinovievich Vasilchenko. The school is an associated school of Moscow. In charity, Rossotrudnichestvo in Baku held the campaign "Help Children Get Ready for School." As of September 2024, 4 campaigns had been held. In 2024, the campaign was held in Baku, Ganja, Khachmaz, Sumgait, Lankaran, Saatly, Sabirabad, Gusar, and the village of Ivanovka in the Ismayilli district.

• Russian Community of Azerbaijan founded

• Newspaper Vestnik registered with the Ministry of Press and Information of Azerbaijan (registration No. 163)

• Vestnik newspaper begins weekly publication

• Baku branch of Moscow State Open University named after V. S. Chernomyrdin created on the basis of the Azerbaijan-Russian Educational Center

• Vestnik newspaper ceases publication

• Moscow International Open University closed

• Rossotrudnichestvo campaign "Help Children Get Ready for School" held for the fourth time

• Mikhail Zabelin re-elected chairman of the Russian Community of Azerbaijan

Republic-wide civic organization uniting Russian compatriots in Azerbaijan and promoting Russian language and culture.

1. 1Russian community of Azerbaijan - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Русская община Азербайджана - Wikipediaru.wikipedia.org