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.
The Prime Minister's party is in the lead as Armenian media are reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count...
Israel said it struck military targets in western and central Iran on Monday, even after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly told Israeli Prime Min...
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome...
A Turkish fishing vessel rescued migrants from a boat in distress in international waters off Malta on Sunday (7 June), after the overcrowded craft ca...
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to hold direct talks with Russian President ...
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
For about three decades after the Soviet collapse, Armenia anchored its foreign and security policy to Moscow.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, newly independent Armenia emerged with the promise of democracy. But in the years that followed, conflicts and political assassinations sidetracked politics in the country, until a 2018 revolution restored momentum to the promise.
The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
The Prime Minister's party is in the lead as Armenian media are reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections will determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone. Here's how it works.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with around 600 mothers dying for every 100,000 live births.
In a workshop surrounded by the wreckage of war, workers in Gaza are giving a second life to small leisure boats once used for family outings and swimming trips.
A seven-month-old Palestinian baby has been killed and his parents injured after Israeli forces fired at a vehicle in Hebron, Palestinian health officials say.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment