Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry on Russian Ministry's Order to Destroy AZAL Aircraft

The Prosecutor General's Office has initiated a criminal case regarding the crash of an AZAL aircraft on December 25, 2024. This was announced by the head of the investigative department of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office, Nemat Avazov. Azerbaijani media reports this.

He noted that numerous examinations have been conducted in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan in this regard: “Our joint efforts continue, and our employees have been dispatched to Kazakhstan. We hope that the results of their examinations will be revealed soon.”

It is noteworthy that on December 25, 2024, an aircraft flying from Baku to Grozny crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The preliminary report released by the Kazakh side indicates that the aircraft lost control and crashed due to damage caused by gunfire near the city of Grozny. The Russian side has also announced that it has formed an investigative group for the incident. However, there is no information about the results of the investigation.

It should be reminded that Azerbaijani media had previously published anonymous letters and recordings indicating that the Russian side ordered the destruction of the aircraft. Specifically, the letter mentioned the explanation of an air defense captain, who claimed that gunfire was opened on the aircraft by order of the Russian Ministry of Defense, as well as videos, recordings, and details regarding the improper condition of the equipment.