Azerbaijan Airlines has temporarily suspended flights to seven Russian cities following a crash on December 25 in Aktau, Kazakhstan, where 38 people died. The airline continues flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg.
A flight from Baku to Mineralnye Vody returned after the airspace was closed. The Embraer 190 was en route from Baku to Grozny and diverted under unclear circumstances.
Experts speculate the plane may have been hit by Russian air defense, although the Kremlin states it is too early for conclusions. Azerbaijan commemorates the victims with flags at half-mast and a moment of silence.
The survivors include mostly Azerbaijanis, and several Russians have been transported to Moscow for recovery.
Source: NOS