The same names have been circulating for many years in Russia's policy regarding the post-Soviet space. One of these figures is Konstantin Zatulin. He is a deputy of the Russian State Duma, one of the main figures of the committee on CIS countries, and at the same time, he is considered one of the people with the harshest rhetoric in the Kremlin's South Caucasus policy.
Zatulin has been known for years for his harsh statements against Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, and the West in general. His activities are not limited to political statements, but also attract attention with his open sympathy for separatist regimes, his defense of the idea of a "Russian sphere of influence" in the post-Soviet space, and his role as one of the ideologues of the Kremlin's imperial approach.
From Batumi to the State Duma
Konstantin Zatulin was born in 1958 in Batumi, Georgian SSR. He studied at the history faculty of Moscow State University. During the Soviet era, he was active in Komsomol structures, and later became one of the figures close to Yuri Luzhkov's team.
The deputy, who joined political activity starting from the last years of the USSR, has been represented in the Russian State Duma for a long time and is currently a member of the ruling "United Russia" party. Elected to the Russian State Duma in the 1990s, Zatulin began to focus more on CIS countries and "near abroad" policy. For many years, he has been one of the key figures in the State Duma's committee on CIS affairs and relations with Russians living abroad. He is also considered the founder and head of the "Institute of CIS Countries." He is a representative of hardliners who advocate for the preservation of Russia's political influence in the post-Soviet space.
Open support for separatism
One of the most discussed aspects of Zatulin's activities is his attitude towards separatist regions. For years, he has taken positions that increased Russia's influence in conflict zones such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Crimea, and Karabakh.
In 2006, he stated that the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia's separatist regions, was "not far off." Later, he was declared an "honorary citizen" by Abkhazia.
Ukraine has repeatedly declared him an undesirable person. The reasons cited were activities against Ukraine's territorial integrity and statements promoting ethnic conflicts. In 2021, Zatulin openly stated that "Ukraine is an enemy for Russia and such Ukraine should not exist."
His stance against Azerbaijan
Konstantin Zatulin is better known in Azerbaijan for his anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric.
He was one of the Russian politicians who openly defended Armenia, especially during the Karabakh conflict. During the years when Azerbaijani lands were under occupation, he repeatedly made pro-Armenian statements and came to the fore with his closeness to the separatist regime.
Even after the 44-day war, Zatulin did not change his rhetoric. On the contrary, Azerbaijan's strengthening in the region, its restoration of sovereignty over Karabakh, and the further strengthening of its strategic alliance with Turkey created a more aggressive tone in his speeches.
During the Armenia-Azerbaijan border tensions in 2022, Zatulin accused Azerbaijan, stating that Russia "should calm Azerbaijan down." Azerbaijani deputies and experts have repeatedly called him a "carrier of revisionist thought" and a "figure inciting war rhetoric."
Why did the pro-Armenian deputy become an undesirable person in Yerevan too?
After the 44-day war, Konstantin Zatulin faced a paradoxical situation: the politician who had openly defended Armenia for many years gradually became one of the figures harshly criticized by the Armenian government.
The main reason for this is Zatulin's classic "imperial approach." He actually represents a line that does not accept either Azerbaijan or Armenia pursuing a fully independent policy. His priority is to maintain Russia's dominant role in the South Caucasus.
After the war, Zatulin openly targeted the policy pursued by Nikol Pashinyan's government. He repeatedly accused Pashinyan of "betraying Russia" and "becoming a Western project."
In 2022, Zatulin was not allowed into Armenia and was effectively treated as an undesirable person by Yerevan. The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan, accused him of "interfering in Armenia's internal affairs." This incident was considered a serious political paradox for the Russian deputy, who had been known for his pro-Armenian stance for years.
In fact, an interesting point emerges here: although Zatulin supported Armenia for a long time, this support was not for Armenian statehood, but for Russia's interests in the region. When Yerevan began to move away from Moscow's orbit, he also adopted aggressive rhetoric against the Armenian government.
In this regard, Zatulin's problems with both Azerbaijan and Armenia are explained by his being a representative of a political line trying to compensate for Russia's weakening influence in the region.
The harshness often felt in his speeches has also intensified against the background of the changing balance of power in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan's strengthening, and Armenia's attempts to escape Moscow's full control.
Apartment in Spain and the sanctioned deputy
According to information published in open sources, Konstantin Zatulin has an apartment in Torrevieja, Alicante region of Spain.
The address of the 94.2 square meter apartment registered in his name is shown as "Gabriela Mistral 23, Torrevieja, Alicante" in the documents. The building where the apartment is located and the property documents have also been published on various research platforms.
This fact is considered an example of the contradictory picture often observed in Russian politics. Thus, some politicians who call the West a "collapsing system" and an "enemy bloc to Russia" at the same time hold real estate and assets in European countries.
Zatulin is among the individuals subjected to Western sanctions after Russia's war against Ukraine. The European Union, the United Kingdom, and a number of other countries have imposed sanctions against him. However, due to sanctions, he can only live in his dream world, not in these apartments.
Changing power balance in the South Caucasus and Moscow's concern
Konstantin Zatulin is one of the symbolic figures of Russia's harsh geopolitical line regarding the post-Soviet space.
His aggressive rhetoric against Azerbaijan is also mainly evaluated in connection with new regional realities. Because in recent years, Azerbaijan's strengthening militarily, politically, and economically, its resolution of the Karabakh issue in its favor, and its transformation into a key actor in the South Caucasus have weakened Moscow's old influence mechanisms.
In this regard, Zatulin's speeches often appear as a politically rhetorical form of concern against Azerbaijan's strengthening and the fear of losing control over the post-Soviet space.
