Azerbaijan, Russia agree settlement for AZAL plane crash caused by air defence

Azerbaijan and Russia announced Wednesday an agreement on an “appropriate settlement of the consequences” of the December 2024 crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in Kazakhstan. A joint statement from the two foreign ministries said the agreement, which includes compensation, was reached in line with an understanding between Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Dushanbe last October. The crash resulted from the unintended operation of an air defence system in Russian airspace.

Allied Cooperation and Condolences

“The steps undertaken confirm the mutual intention to build further mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of allied interaction,” the statement said. Both sides expressed confidence that the progressive development of bilateral relations will continue to help bolster good neighbourly ties and expand cooperation. “We once again extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the airplane crash and share the pain of this irreparable loss with all those affected by the tragedy,” the statement added.