Russia calls for patience until Azerbaijani plane crash investigation concludes

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has said that attempts to use human suffering are absolutely unacceptable.

Galuzin made these remarks during a meeting with Azerbaijani Ambassador to Moscow Rahman Mustafayev, Caliber.Az reports via local media. 

"First of all, I would like to express, on behalf of the leadership of the Russian Federation and myself personally, our deepest condolences to the leadership of Azerbaijan and the fraternal Azerbaijani people in connection with the tragedy involving the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane. Unfortunately, citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia, and several other countries lost their lives in this tragedy, which affects us all. We share in the grief and sorrow of our Azerbaijani friends. We stand with you in this difficult time," he said.

Galuzin noted that the Russian side believes that any conclusions should be made only after the results of the official investigation are released.

“A relevant commission is working in Aktau. The competent agencies of Russia and Azerbaijan are cooperating with each other. An investigation is underway, and we believe that before drawing any conclusions, it is essential to wait for the results of the official inquiry. Attempts to use human suffering are absolutely unacceptable,” he added.

The crash occurred on December 25, when an Embraer aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, en route from Baku to Grozny, tragically crashed near Aktau. The plane was carrying 67 people, including 37 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 Kyrgyz nationals. Sadly, 38 people lost their lives in the crash, with 29 survivors.

By Naila Huseynova