The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has called on airlines to cease flights to five Russian cities following the fatal crash of an Azerbaijani Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane, which was reportedly shot down by air defense systems in Chechnya. The cities on EASA's blacklist include Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don, and Samara.
EASA justified its recommendation by citing the ongoing war against Ukraine, which poses risks of unintentional attacks on civilian aircraft in Russian airspace due to poor coordination between authorities and the military, as well as misidentification errors. The agency specifically highlighted the threat posed by Russia's air defense systems, which activate in response to Ukrainian missile and drone strikes deep into the country. Since no EU airlines currently operate flights to or through Russian airspace, the advisory targets carriers from third countries that continue to do so despite the war-related risks. The recommendation is set to remain in effect until July 31, 2025, but it may be revised or lifted earlier depending on the security situation.
Seven foreign airlines have already decided to partially suspend flights to Russia, including Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air, Israel's El Al, Flydubai from the UAE, Serbia's Air Serbia, Uzbekistan's Qanot Sharq, and Turkmenistan Airlines. AZAL itself has suspended air traffic with 11 Russian cities: Kazan, Vladikavkaz, Volgograd, Grozny, Makhachkala, Mineralnye Vody, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saratov, Sochi, and Ufa.
An Azerbaijani Embraer 190 aircraft, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed on the morning of December 25 near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The plane carried 62 passengers and five crew members. The crash resulted in 38 fatalities, while 29 people survived. Sources from Reuters and Euronews in the Azerbaijani government reported that the crash was caused by a missile detonating near the aircraft, fired from a Pantsir air defense system during a drone attack on Grozny. The pilots sought emergency landing clearance at nearby Russian airports but were denied at all locations. Landing in Grozny was impossible due to signal jammers. The plane crossed the Caspian Sea before crashing near Aktau.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held Russia responsible for the crash. He stated that the Embraer 190 was "rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare systems" and subsequently attacked "from the ground." Aliyev emphasized that the no-fly operation "Kover" in Grozny was announced only after the plane had been shot down. He noted that proper coordination between Russia's armed forces and civilian services could have prevented the tragedy. Aliyev also condemned attempts by the Kremlin to "cover up the issue" and fabricate "absurd versions" such as bird strikes or a gas cylinder explosion onboard.
