Israel’s Airline Suspends Flights to Moscow Until March Following Azeri Plane Incident

Israel’s national airline, El Al, has extended the length of its suspension of flights between Tel Aviv and Moscow until the end of March 2025. The move comes amid reports that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane came down after being struck by Russian air defenses.

El Al initially halted flights on Dec. 26, the day after the Azerbaijan Airlines crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, which killed 38 people.

The airline announced the suspension after a “comprehensive assessment of the situation” and stated that flights on the Tel Aviv-Moscow route would remain grounded for the rest of its winter schedule.

According to Euronews, Azerbaijani government sources claim a Russian missile exploded close to the aircraft during aerial drone activity over Grozny, causing damage that led to the crash.

The incident has led to an increase in diplomatic tension between Baku and Moscow, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev demanding accountability and compensation for the victims.

Putin did admit that Russian air defences were at work when the passenger plane tried to land in Grozny before crashing, and the Kremlin said Putin had apologised to Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev over the “tragic incident” in a phone call, but did not acknowledge that Russian air defense had hit the plane. 

Moscow had earlier said that Grozny, where the plane was due to land but instead crashed in western Kazakhstan, was attacked by Ukrainian drones that day. 

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However, Azerbaijan has maintained that the plane was struck while in Russian airspace. Aliyev’s office said that “external physical and technical interference” led to the crash, citing multiple holes in the fuselage and testimonies from survivors who reported hearing an mid-flight “explosion.”

The crash has also stirred public anger in Azerbaijan. Residents in Baku told AFP they expect an official apology from Russia.

The crash has prompted multiple airlines to suspend flights to Russia, including Azerbaijan Airlines, FlyDubai, Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air, and Turkmenistan Airlines, which have canceled routes to various Russian cities.