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Kazakhstan Crash: In Air and on Ground, Some Did What They Could

When an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan on Dec. 25, Junior Sgt. Nurlan Botagarin reacted quickly. He raced to the wreckage in his car and frantically pushed past debris into the fuselage to help survivors. “The rear part of the plane had overturned, and the people inside were tangled together, unable to get out,” the Kazakh military serviceman said. “At that moment, I broke through the obstructing parts and equipment of the plane and entered inside. I started rescuing the passengers.” Was Botagarin a hero for what he did, possibly risking his own life in the event of an additional explosion and fire while he was scrambling through the wreckage of Flight J2-8243? Some people say yes. He doesn’t think so. Heroes or not, some people showed courage and compassion on the day of the Embraer 190 plane crash that killed 38 people and left 29 survivors in Aktau, Kazakhstan, marking a bright spot in the fog of grief and international intrigue over how the disaster unfolded. Azerbaijan says the plane was accidentally hit by Russian ground fire before its planned landing in Russia-controlled Chechnya; President Vladimir Putin of Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, has apologized without confirming Azerbaijan’s account. Kazakhstan is leading the investigation. The human loss in such a calamity and the alleged responsibility of any perpetrators can overshadow the exemplary conduct of some of those involved in the moment. But here are some of the people who did what they could and will be remembered for it: THE FLIGHT CREW: Capt. Igor Kshnyakin, co-pilot Aleksandr Kalyaninov and flight attendant Hokuma Aliyeva died in the crash. Aviation analysts say the pilots’ struggle to steer the badly damaged aircraft hundreds of kilometers across the Caspian Sea to a landing on flat terrain near Aktau airport was critical to the survival of some of those aboard as well as the likelihood that what exactly happened will be learned in the investigation. Kazakhstan sent the plane’s flight recorders to Brazil, where Embraer aircraft are made, for assessment. The cockpit voice recordings, if they are released, will reveal more to the world about the desperate efforts of the pilots to control the plane and get their passengers to safety. “This particular aircraft is equipped with a recorder that captures two hours of crew and aircraft activity. The investigation will have a nearly complete picture of events,” said Talgat Lastaev, Kazakhstan’s vice transport minister. He was quoted by the Kazinform news agency. At a ceremony in Baku, the three crewmembers who died were awarded with the title "National Hero of Azerbaijan." Two surviving flight attendants, Zulfugar Asadov and Aydan Rahimli, also received honors. “I must specifically acknowledge the female crew members. They themselves were in a state of stress, but look how humanely they acted to calm the passengers and prevent chaos inside the plane,” Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said. In a video taken by a passenger, a flight attendant is heard trying to assure people on the plane...

Russia Aktau Plane Crash AZAL Plane Crash investigation

Kazakhstan Transfers Flight Recorders to Brazil for Further Investigation

The Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near the Kazakh city of Aktau continues to dominate media discussions in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Public attention has centered on statements from Azerbaijan’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, who appears dissatisfied with Vladimir Putin’s vague apologies, as well as on the actions of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who faces the delicate challenge of conducting an investigation that satisfies both Baku and Moscow. Tensions between Baku and Moscow have escalated, with both sides imposing mutual migration restrictions. Russians are now limited to 90 days per year in Azerbaijan, while Russia has enacted asymmetric measures against Azerbaijani citizens. Amid this backdrop, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has taken personal control of the aviation accident investigation, which includes collaboration with specialists from both Azerbaijan and Russia. On the evening of Sunday, December 29, the Commission on Aviation Incident Investigation, led by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, announced its decision to send the flight data recorder (black box) to Brazil's Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA). Brazil is also the manufacturer of the Embraer aircraft involved in the crash. According to the Kazakh authorities, the decision complies with the standards of Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, which assigns responsibility for decoding flight recorders to the investigating country and allows it to select the location for the task. Kazakhstan, a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) since 1992, made the decision in alignment with this framework. The commission emphasized that CENIPA possesses the necessary technical expertise, certified laboratories, and specialized equipment for decoding the flight data recorders. Kazakh analyst Gaziz Abishev interprets the decision as a potential response to external pressure on Kazakhstan, though officials deny any such influence. According to Abishev, the rhetoric from Azerbaijan’s leadership reflects a lack of mutual understanding with Moscow, suggesting covert attempts to sway the investigation. “In this context, Kazakhstan’s decision to transfer the black box to CENIPA represents a principled step aimed at neutralizing pressure and ensuring an impartial decoding process that instills confidence in the international community,” Abishev stated. A similar view is held by Aydos Sarym, a deputy in Kazakhstan's Mazhilis. “This is, in essence, a ‘Solomonic’ decision, as Azerbaijan is the aggrieved party, with the majority of victims being its citizens. President Aliyev has repeatedly emphasized Russia’s culpability in the tragedy and expressed distrust toward certain CIS institutions that have investigated past international incidents. To guarantee full transparency and objectivity, the decryption process has been entrusted to Brazil. This move seeks to accurately determine the cause of the tragedy and establish accountability while ensuring the investigation’s conclusions are accepted by all parties,” Sarym commented. Azat Peruashev, leader of the parliamentary party Ak Zhol, also voiced support for the decision. He praised it as a testament to Tokayev’s diplomatic skill, describing him as a “high-class diplomat capable of finding balanced solutions in the most challenging situations.” Peruashev highlighted the advantages of shifting the investigation to a neutral and unbiased venue, allowing the manufacturer to confirm whether the crash...

Russia Azerbaijan Disaster Response Aktau Plane Crash

How the Azerbaijan Airlines Crash Could Shake Relations with Russia

The crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) airplane in Aktau, Kazakhstan, has the potential to significantly effect Azerbaijan's relations with Russia if Moscow mishandles the situation. To date, there has been a lack of transparency and responsiveness on the part of the Kremlin. The implications could include accelerating the deterioration of Moscow's influence in the region. These implications, therefore, concern not only the local countries, but any international actor having strategic interests in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, or otherwise concerned with their future role and place in the evolving post–Cold War international system. The Facts of the Disaster Given the rapid dissemination of information in the 2020s by electronic means, whereby authentic real-time videos made by first responders to the fuselage on the ground were uploaded to social media and available worldwide within minutes, the overall outline and some details of the incident are by now generally well known. The airplane was en route from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, when explosions in the air damaged the cabin. Very soon after, but not as a result of these explosions, the pilots completely lost all electronic orientation and navigation capabilities. According to one source close to Azerbaijan's investigation into the crash, preliminary results showed the plane was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system and its communications were then paralyzed by electronic warfare systems on the approach into Grozny. Ukrainian military drones have repeatedly targeted Russia’s southern regions, triggering Russian air defenses. “No one claims that it was done on purpose,” the source said; but “taking into account the established facts, Baku expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft.” After being hit, the plane was refused emergency landing permission at Grozny (2.5 kilometers from where the incident occurred) and at least two other Russian airports in the North Caucasus (Makhachkala, 155 kilometers away, and Mineral’nye Vody, 225 kilometers), before being directed by local air control out over the Caspian Sea. Once there, the pilots made the decision to try to land in Aktau (435 kilometers away). Against all odds, they succeeded in avoiding the need to ditch the aircraft into the sea, which would have undoubtedly killed all on board and also destroyed the craft, making any investigation into what had happened impossible. In the event, according to the Kazakhstani authorities, out of 62 passengers and five crew, 32 survivors were initially rescued. Captain Igor Kshnyakin, Co-pilot (First Officer) Alexander Kalyaninov, and Purser Hokuma Aliyeva died when the front wheel touched down ahead of the back wheels, as a result of which the cockpit was thrown violently away from the ongoing wreck. However, this is what created the conditions for at least some of the passengers to survive, as it split the fuselage in two. The event has garnered international attention, including for the professionalism of the crew. What Has Happened Since At first, Kazakhstan declared its own unilateral competence to investigate the crash, which occurred on...

Russia Migration Visa Azerbaijan Aktau Plane Crash visas

Azerbaijan Tightens Visa Rules for Russians Amid Aktau Crash Fallout

The Azerbaijani government has announced new restrictions on the temporary stay of Russian citizens, effective January 1, 2025. Under the new rules, Russian citizens and stateless persons residing in Russia will be limited to a maximum of 90 days per calendar year without a visa. The announcement comes in the wake of a tragic plane crash involving an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) aircraft near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25. The plane, which had taken off from Baku headed to Grozny, Chechnya, crashed, killing 38 people and injuring 29 others. Kazakhstan is currently leading the investigation into the incident. Accusations and Responses Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has stated that the plane was struck by Russian ground fire while flying over Russian territory. He accused Russia of attempting to obscure the truth by spreading “absurd theories” about the crash. Russian President Vladimir Putin had issued an apology for the incident one day before Aliyev's remarks, but did not admit responsibility for the alleged ground fire. International Reactions The crash has prompted flight suspensions to Russia by several airlines, citing safety concerns. Turkmenistan: Flights on the Ashgabat-Moscow-Ashgabat route have been canceled from December 30, 2024, to January 31, 2025. The reason for the decision has not been disclosed, but the airline previously operated twice-weekly flights to Moscow. Kazakhstan: Kazakh Air has suspended its Astana-Yekaterinburg route from December 28, 2024, to January 27, 2025, to ensure passenger safety. Israel: Israeli airline El Al has halted flights on the Tel Aviv-Moscow route until next week, citing “events in Russian airspace.” UAE: Flydubai has suspended flights to Sochi and Mineralnye Vody due to technical reasons. Flights to Sochi are expected to resume on January 2, while services to Mineralnye Vody will restart on January 3. In a symbolic gesture, an Uzbekistan Airways plane circled Aktau Airport twice in memory of the Azerbaijan Airlines crash victims. Broader Implications The tragedy and subsequent allegations have heightened tensions in the region and raised concerns about air travel safety in Russian airspace. While investigations are ongoing, the incident underscores the geopolitical sensitivities and potential risks associated with the aviation sector in this area.

International Relations Chechen Politics Russia Chechnya

Tensions Rise as Uzbek Leaders Respond to Ramzan Kadyrov’s Remarks

Uzbekistan has placed two residents of Chechnya, Bislan Rasayev and Shamil Temirkhanov, on Interpol’s wanted list. The Times of Central Asia has previously reported that the two men are accused of multiple crimes, including a plot to assassinate Komil Allamjonov, the former head of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's information policy department, and Dmitry Li, head of the National Agency for Prospective Projects (NAPP). Rasayev and Temirkhanov were reportedly offered $1.5 million for the assassinations. Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov has called the arrest warrants "fabrications". Kadyrov claims that pro-Western media are spreading baseless rumors about divisions within Mirziyoyev’s family as part of a larger effort to destabilize the country’s leadership. The attempt on Allamjonov's life is said to have taken place on October 26 outside his home in Tashkent’s Kibray district. According to Uzbek media, two unidentified individuals fired multiple shots at Allamjonov’s car before fleeing the scene. No injuries were reported. Opposition outlets speculated about a “Chechen connection,” suggesting Kadyrov’s possible involvement in the attack. In an earlier statement, Kadyrov said that “if I had really planned something, I would have completed it with a 100% result.” He also expressed skepticism about the investigation’s timeline, noting that Li was identified as a secondary target only months after the probe began. Kadyrov suggested that the case could be part of internal “behind-the-scenes games” orchestrated by certain groups. In response, Uzbek officials and lawmakers condemned Kadyrov’s statements and threats. Rasul Kusherbayev, a former deputy and adviser to the Minister of Ecology, described Kadyrov’s comments as terrorism. “Open threats to officials in Uzbekistan are terrorism. Those who make such statements or attempt such actions must be held accountable,” he said. Kusherbayev also criticized the Uzbek government for remaining silent in the face of these threats. “Why should the government of Uzbekistan remain silent? How long will we tolerate those who openly threaten us with chauvinistic views? The response should go beyond mere statements - it should involve concrete measures. If necessary, flights to Grozny should be canceled, and every Chechen citizen entering Uzbekistan should be strictly vetted,” he added. Odiljon Tojiyev, a deputy of Uzbekistan’s Legislative Chamber, similarly denounced Kadyrov’s interference in Uzbekistan’s internal affairs and his threats against Uzbek officials. He warned that such actions could harm relations between Uzbekistan and Chechnya. “I call on the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation to assess Ramzan Kadyrov’s threats against Uzbek officials. Moreover, Kadyrov should issue a public apology to the people of Uzbekistan. If he is truly a friend, he should assist Uzbekistan’s Prosecutor General’s Office in locating and extraditing Bislan Rasayev and Shamil Temirkhanov,” Tojiyev stated. Kadyrov’s remarks and the allegations surrounding the assassination attempt have brought tensions between Uzbekistan and Chechnya into the spotlight. While Uzbekistan values its friendly relations with Russia and its regions, the controversy has prompted calls for firm action to protect the country’s sovereignty and ensure accountability.

Aktau Plane Crash Azerbaijan Russia

Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijani Plane Crashed In Kazakhstan Due To Russian Ground Fire

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said on Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed in Kazakhstan last week had been hit by Russian ground fire while flying over Russian territory. He also said that there had been efforts by Russia to cover up what had happened by spreading “absurd theories.” After several days of international speculation and scrutiny, Aliyev spoke in detail with Azerbaijan Television in Baku about the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane on Wednesday that killed 38 people. His remarks came one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the crash but did not acknowledge that the aircraft had been accidentally hit by Russian fire. Kazakhstan is leading the investigation of the crash, which occurred near the Caspian Sea city of Aktau after the plane diverted from its original destination of Grozny in the Russian republic of Chechnya. Officials said 29 people survived. “The facts indicate that the Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory, near the city of Grozny, and almost lost control. We also know that means of electronic warfare put our plane out of control. This was the first impact on the plane. At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged,” Aliyev said in the interview. Aliyev said that fact that “the fuselage is riddled with holes” indicates that initial speculation that birds hit the plane is false, and he criticized “some circles in Russia” for proposing that theory. “Another regrettable and surprising moment for us was that official Russian agencies put forward theories about the explosion of a gas cylinder on board the plane. In other words, this clearly showed that the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue, which, of course, is unbecoming of anyone. Of course, our plane was hit by accident. Of course, there can be no talk of a deliberate act of terror here,” the Azerbaijani president said. “Therefore, admitting guilt, apologizing in a timely manner to Azerbaijan, which is considered a friendly country, and informing the public about this – these were measures and steps that should have been taken. Unfortunately, for the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except for some absurd theories.” Azerbaijan refused Russian suggestions that the Russian-led Interstate Aviation Committee investigate the crash, saying there were concerns about the objectivity of the regional agency. Aliyev said he told Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev that he didn’t want the agency involved and that his position was “met with understanding.” In his apology in a phone conversation with Aliyev on Saturday, Putin said the Azerbaijani plane had been trying to land at a time when Russian air defenses were repelling attacks by Ukrainian drones. But he didn’t say that those air defenses hit the plane. Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to 10 Russian cities since the crash.