Azerbaijan Maintains Firm Position On AZAL Plane Crash - Minister

Bayramov recalled that during a meeting held in October between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, it was stated that all necessary measures must be taken in connection with the incident involving the Azerbaijani aircraft, which occurred due to an error by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

According to him, Azerbaijan's stance on the matter is clear and resolute.

“An objective and comprehensive legal and political assessment of the incident must be provided, and appropriate compensation must also be paid. This is precisely what we expect,” he added.

On 25 December 2024, an Embraer 190 passenger aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines en route from Baku to Grozny under flight number J2-8243 was subjected to external physical and technical interference. After losing control in Russian airspace, the aircraft was redirected toward Aktau, Kazakhstan, where it made an emergency landing. Of the 67 people on board, 38 lost their lives, while 29 passengers survived.

For demonstrating high professionalism, bravery, and dedication in fulfilling their duties, the deceased crew members-Igor Kshnyakin, Alexander Kalyaninov, and Hokuma Aliyeva-were posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan. The surviving crew members-Zulfiqar Asadov and Aydan Rahimli-were awarded the Order of "Rashadat" (Courage) of the 1st Degree.