29 Dec 2024 | 03:17 PM UTC
Central Asia, Russia: Multiple regional airlines suspend flights to Russia as of Dec. 29 /update 1
Multiple regional airlines suspend flights to Russia as of Dec. 29 after Azerbaijan claims aircraft was unintentionally shot down.
Multiple regional airlines are suspending flights to Russia as of Dec. 29 after Azerbaijan accused Russian forces on Dec. 29 of unintentionally shooting down Azerbaijan Airlines (J2) Flight 8243 on Dec. 25. According to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the aircraft was hit by ground fire near Grozny and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare.
Airlines have initiated the following flight suspensions:
Azerbaijan Airlines (J2): Flights from Baku's Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) to Grozny Kadyrov International Airport (GRV), Makhachkala Uytash Airport (MCX), 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), and Vladikavkaz International Airport (OGZ).
Qazaq Air (IQ): Flights from Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (NQZ) to Yekaterinburg Koltsovo International Airport (SVX) until at least Jan. 27.
El Al (LY): flights from Tel Aviv (TLV) to Moscow (SVO) until further notice.
Turkmenistan Airlines (T5): Flights from Ashgabat International Airport (ASB) to Moscow until at least Jan. 31.
Flydubai (FZ): Flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to AER and MRV until Jan. 2 and Jan. 3, respectively.
Further suspensions or other disruptions to flight operations between Russia and other countries in the region cannot be ruled out.
Reconfirm flight schedules if booked on affected airlines and destinations in Russia through at least early January. Do not check out of accommodations until onward travel is confirmed.
Flight 8243 was en route from Baku to Grozny when it was diverted to Aktau International Airport (SCO), Kazakhstan, Dec. 25. The flight crashed near SCO around 11:10, resulting in the deaths of all five crew members and 33 other individuals on board. The remaining 29 passengers sustained injuries in the incident. Technical data released by third-party aviation sources indicate that the aircraft encountered GPS jamming and spoofing while near Grozny - two tactics used by Russian air defense units as countermeasures against Ukrainian drone attacks. According to an official Kremlin statement, in a telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that, at the time of the incident, Russian air defense elements were engaged in fending off Ukrainian drone attacks on Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz. Nevertheless, Moscow has made no comment concerning whether or not its forces had any role in downing the airliner.
