All newly manufactured Mi-35 out of the factory has that colour (before receiving their paint). Are you sure that the smoke comes out of Mi-35M? Of course it doesn’t produce any smoke during the start.

News on Azerbaijan acquisitions are so damn varied.
they are claiming jf-17s (never materialized, just excited stories from pakistan and china)
as well as t-84s from ukraine, t-129s from turkey, and now t-90s and hokums from russia.
which is legit.

Who is claiming what exactly? And its not difficult to distinguish between a rumour and a fact.

JF-17 was a fabrication of some Pakistani-Chinese source, and the only thing was there was that Azerbaijan was “supposedly” interested, alongside many other countries. How exactly did Azerbaijan end up buying them, I don’t know, but it seems to have confused many people.

T-84 was likewise along the lines of “interested”. T-129 is nothing beyond “interest” so far. There were news on Ka-52 negotiations which can be regarded as rumour, but there is also a recent statement which you can read above, so its probably true, but like said nothing is claimed about a purchase, only negotiations so far.

As for T-90, see the post #10.

What kind of strategic goals does Azerbaijan have?

Karabakh, restoration of territorial integrity first and foremost.

Not aviation related but Russia started the delivery of a large package constisting of land systems to Azerbaijan, worth about $1 billion.

http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/13199631/v_baku_idet_smerch

There are options on all military equipment bought, including an option for 94 more T-90. Earlier reports talked of 200 T-90, so probably around that number is considered.

Also from the article:

This is not the first major package of arms contracts between Russia and Azerbaijan. In 2010-2011. concluded and almost made ​​contracts for the supply of Azerbaijani armed forces and other security agencies of the two battalions of air defense missile systems S-300PMU-2, several batteries air defense systems “Tor-M2E”, 60 transport helicopters Mi-17 and 24 attack helicopters Mi-35M for a total of nearly $ 3 billion

So I think the prospects of purchasing new fighters from Russia is there. Also Azerbaijan seems to be seriously interested in YAK-130, pilots of the airforce made flights with it last year.

According to this, Iraq will buy 6 Mi-35 for $217 million (total cost of the contract is $256 million with ammunition included).

http://ru.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idRUMSE93H03T20130418

I guess its Mi-35M.

Mi-24G Superhind launching Baryer-V anti-tank missile during tests.

Border Guards base in Lankaran (near the border with Iran)

Also Igla-S (SA-24)