Deputy FM: Russia to honour all agreements with Azerbaijan on AZAL crash probe

Russia intends to fully implement all agreements reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev regarding the investigation into the AZAL airline crash, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said, according to News.ru.

“Russia is committed to carrying out in full all the agreements of the leaders of Russia and Azerbaijan following their meeting in Dushanbe on 9 October this year during the CIS Heads of State Council session. As President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin noted, ‘everything required in such tragic cases will be done on the Russian side,’” Galuzin said.

The crash occurred on 25 December 2024 when an Embraer 190 aircraft operated by AZAL, flying flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny, experienced external physical and technical interference in Russian airspace. The plane lost control and was forced to make an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan.

There were 67 people on board, including five crew members. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of 38 passengers, while 29 survived.

By Vugar Khalilov