Azerbaijan and Russia to Restore Direct Flights Halted After Deadly Plane Crash

July 17, 2026 Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov (left) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right). Russian Foreign Ministry Azerbaijan will soon resume direct flights to Russia after they were suspended earlier over the deadly downing of an Azerbaijani passenger jet in late 2024, the South Caucasus country’s foreign minister said Friday. Azerbaijan Airlines halted flights from Baku to 10 Russian cities after a Russian surface-to-air missile struck an Embraer E190 traveling from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, on Dec. 25, 2024. The heavily damaged aircraft attempted to divert but crashed in western Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. The diplomatic crisis caused by the tragedy was quietly resolved in April, when Moscow and Baku reached an agreement for Russia to formally acknowledge the role of its air defense system and pay financial damages to the families of the victims. During talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said the suspension of direct flights between the two countries would be lifted sometime soon but did not give an exact date. “Direct flights on a number of routes… are also expected to be restored in the near future,” Bayramov was quoted as saying by Russia’s state-run TASS news agency. Lavrov said that both governments have now “resolved all issues” connected to the disaster. A statement from Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry framed the restored transportation links as a boost to broader regional development, noting that they “strengthen the economic resilience not only of the participating states but of the region as a whole.” Amid the diplomatic reset, both foreign ministers also pointed to robust economic ties, noting that bilateral trade between Russia and Azerbaijan rose to $4.9 billion over the course of 2025. Read more about: Azerbaijan , Airlines , Foreign Ministry , Lavrov Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia's Lavrov to Visit Iran for Talks Monday The talks come amid tensions over the Middle East and unresolved disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 1 Min read Moscow Rebuffs Armenian PM’s Claims of Betrayal The Russian Foreign Ministry said Pashinyan’s address on Sunday “contains unacceptable attacks on Russia and causes nothing but rejection.” 2 Min read Russia, Azerbaijan Criticize EU's Armenia Border Mission Moscow and Baku on Tuesday criticized the deployment of an expanded EU monitoring mission to Armenia's volatile border with Azerbaijan. Arch Caucasus foes... 2 Min read Internet Mocks Russian Ministry's Photo Promising 'Healing Powers' A photo of Lavrov holding the Russian flag "has healing powers," the Foreign Ministry said.