Airlines Suspend Flights to Russia Amid Speculation Over Azerbaijan Airlines Crash

Several airlines has suspended flights to Russian cities following a tragic plane crash involving Azerbaijan Airlines. The Embraer 190 aircraft, en route from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to Grozny in Russia, tragically went down near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, killing 38 of the 67 passengers on board.

The crash has prompted suggestions from Western experts and U.S. officials that a Russian anti-aircraft missile may have mistakenly brought down the plane. The theory gained traction following comments from Azerbaijan’s transport minister, who stated that preliminary investigations revealed signs of “external interference.”

Adding to the speculation, White House spokesman John Kirby confirmed on Friday that Washington has “indications” pointing to Russian involvement, though he refrained from providing detailed evidence. Moscow, on the other hand, has remained tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying these allegations.

Russia’s sole statement came in the form of an unrelated admission that Grozny, the intended destination of the flight, was under attack by Ukrainian drones at the time of the crash. This acknowledgement has only fueled questions about whether the plane may have been unintentionally targeted by Russia’s air defense systems.

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In the aftermath of the incident, several international airlines have opted to suspend flights to Russian cities, citing safety concerns. Turkmenistan Airlines announced Saturday that its regular Ashgabat-Moscow-Ashgabat flights would be canceled from December 30, 2024, to January 31, 2025, without providing a detailed explanation.

UAE’s flydubai canceled flights between Dubai and the southern Russian cities of Mineralnye Vody and Sochi, scheduled between December 27 and January 3. Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air suspended its flights to Yekaterinburg in Russia’s Urals region until the end of January. Earlier in the week, Israeli airline El Al announced a one-week suspension of flights to Moscow.

The crash near Aktau, a city on the shores of the Caspian Sea, has heightened tensions between Russia and its neighboring nations. Statements from Azerbaijan have strongly suggested that the aircraft may have been hit mid-air, adding to a growing rift in relations.

The response from Russia has been notably muted, with no official acknowledgment of responsibility for the crash. Experts have pointed out that the lack of clarity and conflicting narratives may be an attempt to deflect blame as investigations continue.