Bayramov: Russia's closure of AZAL crash case raises serious questions

The closure of the criminal case by the Russian Investigative Committee regarding the AZAL plane crash raises very serious questions, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said answering journalists' questions during the presentation of the 2025 outcomes by the ministry.

According to Report, he noted that Azerbaijan received a letter from the Russian Investigative Committee on the investigation of the AZAL plane crash: "The letter contained points that caused us serious concern. The main issue was that it stated the criminal case had already been closed. Naturally, such a step raises very serious questions for us. An appropriate response has been sent by the relevant Azerbaijani authorities."

The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan expects Russia to fulfill its obligations regarding the AZAL plane crash: "Yesterday marked the anniversary of the plane tragedy. I extend condolences to the families of those who perished. The fact that the plane was shot down was later acknowledged by Russia, and compensation was promised. This was a very important statement. Our expectation is the full implementation of this process."

Reports from Kazakhstan and the joint expert conclusions from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, and ICAO indicate that the AZAL plane which crashed near Aktau lost control and crashed not due to any technical failure. According to the interim statement, foreign metal objects that caused damage to the aircraft - fragments of an explosive device - are linked to a weapon system.

A total of 67 people were on board the plane (62 passengers, 5 crew members), including 42 Azerbaijani citizens (37 passengers, 5 crew), 16 Russians, 6 Kazakhs, and 3 Kyrgyz. The crash resulted in 38 deaths and 29 survivors. The plane's captain Igor Kshnyakin, co-pilot Aleksandr Kalyaninov, and flight attendant Hokuma Aliyeva were among those killed.

During a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe on October 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted the plane was shot down. He also pledged that Russia would pay all relevant compensations and provide legal accountability for all responsible officials.