The Azerbaijan National NGO Forum has sent an open letter to Russia’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mikhail Yevdokimov.
APA reports that the letter relates to correspondence from Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, addressed to Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General concerning the AZAL aircraft incident, which has been made public in the media.
"We - the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum, which brings together hundreds of Azerbaijani non-governmental organisations - are addressing you in connection with the letter from Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, to the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan regarding the AZAL aircraft incident, which has been publicised in the media.
At a time when Azerbaijani society expects Russia’s investigative authorities to identify those responsible for the AZAL aircraft that was struck by missiles fired from a Pantsir-S1 air-defence system in the skies over Grozny on 25 December 2024 and to impose the severest punishment on them, Alexander Bastrykin’s announcement that the criminal case has been closed is incomprehensible and unacceptable.
Disregarding photographic evidence and video footage, and claiming that the aircraft was allegedly unable to land in Grozny due to adverse weather conditions, amounts to trampling on the memory of innocent people who were killed or injured in the incident and applauding those who opened fire on them. Azerbaijani society responds to this with deep outrage and rejects it.
The bloody incident that Bastrykin is attempting to cover up is a matter of national honour for the Azerbaijani people. We will not remain silent. If the Russian side believes that apologising to Azerbaijan is sufficient to close the matter, it is profoundly mistaken.
The crime in question must be acknowledged, every perpetrator must be held criminally accountable, and compensation must be paid to the Azerbaijani state as well as to the affected passengers and crew members. International practice and basic human decency demand nothing less.
The shooting down of a civilian aircraft is prohibited under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. Bastrykin’s letter once again contradicts the Chicago Convention, in particular Annex 13, titled "Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation". This tragedy must not be covered up; on the contrary, all necessary measures must be taken to ensure a full investigation.
The substance of Alexander Bastrykin’s letter clearly differs from the position expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and, by effectively seeking to evade responsibility, constitutes a legal and political provocation.
On 9 October 2025 in Dushanbe, Vladimir Putin acknowledged that there had been technical malfunctions in Russia’s air-defence system in connection with the shooting down of the AZAL aircraft and stated that, as required in such tragic circumstances, Russia would do everything necessary regarding compensation and would provide a legal assessment of the actions of all officials involved.
Ambassador, we ask you to respond: who represents Russia’s official position on this matter — President Vladimir Putin or the chairman of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin?
We expect you to receive the board of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum and to respond to our question," the letter states.
U.S. President Donald Trump joined the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt for a press briefing on Tuesday, as tensions with European allies ...
The European Union has proposed new restrictions on exports of drone and missile-related technology to Iran, while preparing additional sanctions in r...
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is set to attend Supreme Court oral arguments this week in a case examining whether President Donald Trump has the...
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia dis...
The European Parliament has frozen the ratification of a trade agreement with the United States after fresh tariff threats from Donald Trump, escalati...
Russia’s liquefied natural gas transit through Azerbaijan is emerging as a strategically significant development for Armenia at a time of rising domestic pressure on energy supplies, according to political analyst Fuad Karimli.Speaking to AnewZ, Karimli said the issue has gained urgency as Armenia f
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia discussed how the South Caucasus and wider Eurasian region can strengthen economic ties, peace and geopolitical stability amid shifting global influence.
On 20 January, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave an exclusive interview to Euronews during the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, reflecting on Azerbaijan’s strategy in a changing global order and the country’s evolving role in the South Caucasus and global energy markets.
Azerbaijan is commemorating the 36th anniversary of the events of 20 January 1990, known as Black January, one of the most defining and painful chapters in the country’s modern history.
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday.
More than 100 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup on Interstate 96 in western Michigan on Monday (19 January), forcing the highway to shut in both directions amid severe winter weather.
The European Parliament has frozen the ratification of a trade agreement with the United States after fresh tariff threats from Donald Trump, escalating tensions between Washington and Brussels.
Five skiers were killed in a pair of avalanches in Austria’s western Alpine regions on Saturday, with two others injured, one critically.
A fresh consignment of precision-guided munitions has departed from the Indian city of Nagpur bound for Yerevan, marking the latest phase in the rapidly expanding defence partnership between India and Armenia.
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia discussed how the South Caucasus and wider Eurasian region can strengthen economic ties, peace and geopolitical stability amid shifting global influence.
On 20 January, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave an exclusive interview to Euronews during the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, reflecting on Azerbaijan’s strategy in a changing global order and the country’s evolving role in the South Caucasus and global energy markets.
Afghanistan is confronting an escalating humanitarian emergency as freezing winter conditions, widespread food insecurity and sharp reductions in international aid leave millions struggling to survive, aid agencies have warned.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his country’s support for a ceasefire deal between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which calls for the latter’s integration into the Syrian state apparatus.
Several locally-developed instant messaging applications were reportedly restored in Iran on Tuesday (20 January), partially easing communications restrictions imposed after recent unrest.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment