Azerbaijan’s flag carrier suspends flights to more Russian cities after crash

The Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan Picture:  The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP

Azerbaijan’s flag carrier has announced that it will suspend flights to several Russian airports, citing potential safety risks after a crash of one of its planes that many experts blamed on Russian air defence fire.

Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons still unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan after flying east across the Caspian Sea.