Google's Threat Analysis Group removed 6,028 YouTube channels spreading pro-Azerbaijani government propaganda in 2025, marking a significant decline from the 14,000 channels blocked the previous year. Since 2021, the investigation has eliminated over 22,000 Azerbaijani-language channels engaged in coordinated information operations.
The scale places Azerbaijan third globally among state-sponsored propaganda efforts on the platform, trailing only China (45,000+ channels removed in 2025) and Russia (14,000), according to an analysis by Armenian investigative outlet Hetq.
The blocked channels shared consistent operational signatures: publishing exclusively in Azerbaijani, systematically praising government policies in Baku, and targeting Armenia with criticism directed at both the state and opposition figures. Google's data indicates "channels targeting Armenia were blocked in all months of the year—sometimes thousands, sometimes just a few."
The 57% year-over-year reduction in blocked channels presents competing interpretations. It may reflect improved detection and preventive measures by Google, forcing operators to curtail activity. Alternatively, it could signal strategic adaptation—with propagandists developing more sophisticated methods to evade automated detection systems, requiring fewer but more resilient channels.
In the Caucasus, as across mountainous borderlands, ancient identities and modern geopolitics create intricate patterns of conflict and cooperation. The Armenia-Azerbaijan information war extends decades-long territorial disputes into digital space, where narrative control shapes both domestic opinion and international perception.
The campaign's focus intensified following Azerbaijan's 2020 military victory in and the 2023 operation that secured complete control over the disputed territory. Information operations have become integral to consolidating military gains, shaping historical memory, and marginalizing diaspora narratives.
