Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan: Azerbaijan Airlines and Qazaq Airlines suspend flights to some Russian airports from Dec. 28

Azerbaijan Airlines (J2) and Qazaq Airlines (IQ) are suspending a number of flight routes to Russia from Dec. 28. The decision is due to the recent incident where J2 flight 8243 crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Dec. 25. J2 suspended all flights from Baku Heydar Aliyev Airport (GYD) to Grozny Kadyrov International Airport (GRV) and Makhachkala Uytash Airport (MCX) from Dec. 25. On Dec. 27, J2 announced it would suspend flights to the following airports on Russian territory from Dec. 28:

• Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV)

• Nizhny Novgorod International Airport (GOJ)

• Samara Kurumoch International Airport (KUF)

• Saratov Gagarin International Airport (GSV)

• Sochi International Airport (AER)

• Ufa International Airport (UFA)

• Volgograd International Airport (VOG)

• Vladikavkaz International Airport (OGZ)

Following the incident, Kazakh authorities also suspended all IQ flights between Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (NQZ) and Russia's Yekaterinburg Koltsovo International Airport (SVX) from Dec. 28 until at least Jan. 27.