The Kremlin will not assess the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane near the city of Aktau until the investigation is over, Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"And until the conclusions that will be made based on the results of the investigation, we do not consider ourselves entitled to give any assessments and will not do so. At the same time, we have our aviation authorities who can do this. And some information can only be from them. We do not consider ourselves entitled to comment on this," Peskov said.
When asked if the Kremlin had seen the demand of Azerbaijani MP Rasim Musabekov to apologize for the plane crash, because allegedly Russian air defenses shot down this plane, Peskov said:
"We have certainly seen it, but I repeat once again, I have nothing to add to what I have already said," Peskov told reporters.
The Baku —Grozny plane of Azerbaijan Airlines crashed on the morning of December 25. According to the Federal Air Transport Agency, after a collision with birds, the aircraft commander decided to leave for an alternate airfield in Aktau. According to the airline, there were 62 passengers and five crew members on board. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations, 29 people survived. According to the Russian Embassy, there are nine Russians among them. In total, according to the lists, there were 16 Russian citizens on board.