Termination of the investigation into the plane crash
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has terminated the criminal case regarding the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which has raised significant questions for the Azerbaijani side. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev announced the preparation of an international lawsuit against Russia in connection with this decision.
December 25, 2024 marked the anniversary of the tragedy when the Azerbaijani airline Azal plane was shot down by Russia. This issue became particularly relevant after Vladimir Putin publicly mentioned Ukraine for the first time in relation to this plane crash. In light of the termination of the investigation, Jeyhun Bayramov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, stated:
“The letter indicated that the criminal case has already been closed. Certainly, such a move raises very serious questions for us.”
Azerbaijan's Reaction and Consequences
The Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan confirmed that the investigation continues despite the decision of the Russian Investigative Committee. The situation has caused outrage among the Azerbaijani leadership, and Ilham Aliyev emphasized that “this is as clear as day.” Given these events, Azerbaijan is preparing to file an international lawsuit, indicating the seriousness of the country's intentions to defend its interests.
This situation underscores the escalation of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, especially in the context of already existing geopolitical tensions in the region. The continuation of the investigation by Azerbaijan may indicate the country's desire to gain international support in resolving this issue, which could have consequences for bilateral relations between the states.