BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 28. Following the initial phone conversation between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, another phone call took place on December 28, 2024, between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Trend reports.
During the conversation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed condolences to the families of the victims and to the Azerbaijani people following the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane, which was en route from Baku to Grozny on December 25.
In turn, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed his hopes for the souls of the deceased to rest in peace and for a swift recovery for the injured. He noted that initial inspections of the aircraft, which revealed numerous holes in the fuselage, along with testimonies from both flight attendants and passengers, suggest the crash may have been caused by both technical and physical interference.
Bayramov further stressed Azerbaijan’s expectation for a timely conclusion to the investigation, which includes input from international experts, and for a comprehensive, transparent disclosure of the findings.
He also underscored the importance of conducting the investigation with full openness, ensuring the public receives regular updates on its progress.