Baku adopts path toward NATO integration, experts say

If Azerbaijan’s armed forces previously followed a Soviet-style approach, aligning the military with NATO standards now means replacing combat formations and organizational structures with NATO-style methods. This could include abandoning regiments in favor of brigades. Such changes may signal the republic’s preparations for joining the alliance, military experts Konstantin Sivkov and Yuri Knutov said in an interview with Vzglyad.

“Bringing Azerbaijan’s armed forces in line with NATO standards means only one thing: Baku has adopted a path toward integration with the North Atlantic Alliance,” said military expert Konstantin Sivkov. He suggested that Azerbaijan could potentially apply for NATO membership in the relatively near future. According to Sivkov, such a move would pose certain risks for both Russia and Iran.

He added that “Baku’s actions require an appropriate response from Moscow.”

Military expert Yuri Knutov expressed a similar view: “They are attempting to push Russia out of the South Caucasus. This is a strategy primarily used by the Anglo-Saxons, whose goal is to establish control over the region, including its oil and gas pipelines and resource extraction sites.”

Knutov also noted that Baku is likely to purchase Western weapons and military equipment. “It is possible that the armed forces will abandon regiments in favor of brigades. Ultimately, the training system will resemble that of NATO countries,” the expert said.