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The nationwide airways of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have suspended some flights to Russia after proof steered an Azerbaijani aircraft had been downed by Russian air defence programs.
The Kazakh airline, Qazaq Air, mentioned on Friday it suspended its Astana to Ekaterinburg route, in line with the Kazinform information company, whereas Azerbaijan Airways suspended flights to seven cities within the south of Russia.
The measures have been taken after an Azerbaijan Airways flight from Baku to Russia’s regional capital, Grozny, was diverted throughout the Caspian Sea and crash-landed close to Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 of the 67 folks on board.
Video of the fuselage of the crashed plane has proven a number of puncture marks in step with fireplace from an anti-aircraft system. There may be additionally proof that Russia was jamming the GPS navigation system close to Grozny on the time, apparently to defend in opposition to an assault by Ukrainian drones.
Azerbaijan’s transport minister Rashad Nabiyev mentioned on Friday that proof gathered by Azerbaijani investigators pointed to “exterior interference” with the plane.
“Injured passengers and surviving flight attendants mentioned that they heard an explosion once they have been over Grozny,” Nabiyev mentioned, including that there was video proof of a flight attendant and a passenger sustaining accidents to their legs and arms.
One early principle pointed to an explosion on board the aircraft. However Nabiyev mentioned witness testimony steered in any other case.
“Injured Russian residents additionally reported listening to three explosions over Grozny. In line with them, the sounds of the explosions have been heard from outdoors, after which one thing hit the aircraft,” the minister advised reporters.
He mentioned the Azerbaijani fee on the scene inspected the physique of the plane, additionally pointing to an exterior influence. “Injury to the fuselage and traces of shrapnel have been recorded contained in the plane.”
Qazaq Air mentioned it was suspending flights to Ekaterinburg till January 27 pending an “ongoing threat evaluation” of flights to Russia. Azerbaijan Airways mentioned it halted flights to Grozny and different southern Russian cities till completion of an investigation into the crash.
Israel’s flag-carrier, El Al, on Thursday additionally introduced it was suspending flights from Tel Aviv to Moscow pending a security evaluation.
Russia had insisted the plane was unable to land in Grozny due to heavy fog and that the plane had hit a flock of birds. Native authorities in Russia’s close by North Ossetia area introduced an assault by Ukrainian drones, certainly one of which was shot down, killing a lady on the bottom. However the Kommersant newspaper reported there was no “heavy fog” forecast for Grozny on the time.
The top of Russia’s Rosaviatsia aviation company, Dmitry Yadrov, on Thursday mentioned the circumstances round Grozny had been “very troublesome” amid assaults from Ukrainian fight drones. The Kremlin declined to touch upon the reason for the crash.
The incident has invoked comparisons with Malaysia Airways flight MH17 being shot down over Ukraine in 2014. An investigation concluded that crash, which killed all 298 folks on board, was the results of the firing of an air defence missile by Russia-controlled fighters in japanese Ukraine.
A joint investigation is being carried out by Azerbaijani, Kazakh and Russian officers. The plane sort concerned — an Embraer-190 regional jet — was beforehand considered one of many world’s most secure civil plane.
Senior US and Ukrainian officers have additionally pointed to a Russian anti-aircraft system. Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian nationwide safety and defence council official, posted on Telegram on Thursday that Russia ought to have closed the airspace over Grozny.
“The aircraft was broken by the Russians and despatched to Kazakhstan, as an alternative of constructing an emergency touchdown in Grozny and saving folks’s lives,” he wrote.
Rasim Musabekov, a member of Azerbaijan’s parliament, has referred to as for Russia to apologise.
“The aircraft was shot down in Russian territory, within the skies over Grozny, and this can’t be denied,” Musabekov advised the Turan information company. “That is how civilised relations work. If air defence programs are energetic, the airport must be closed, and warnings must be issued to forestall flights to the realm.”
The aircraft crash “will clearly set off a disaster between Baku and Moscow”, mentioned Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Research Heart, a Yerevan-based think-tank.
He famous that the incident got here in opposition to the backdrop of Azerbaijan’s warfare in opposition to Armenia, which led to Baku’s takeover of the Nagorno-Karabakh area final yr. That annexation undermined the authority of Russian peacekeepers deployed there, marking a turning level in Russia’s waning affect within the South Caucasus.
“Azerbaijan’s justified anger and outrage at Russia might be extra overconfident and emboldened to push Moscow even more durable,” Giragosian added. “The clear loser within the South Caucasus might be Russian energy and status.”
Cartography by Steven Bernard
