Moscow, September 4, 2025 — Russia announced that it has “fully paid compensation” for the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger aircraft, a tragedy that shattered relations between Moscow and Baku.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the airline received about $11 million, while injured passengers and the families of those killed were paid roughly $4 million. According to the ministry, compensation claims have been “fully settled” in the cases of 46 out of 62 passengers. That includes 7 of 15 Russian citizens, 35 of 38 Azerbaijani citizens, all 3 Kyrgyz nationals, and 1 of 6 Kazakh citizens. Negotiations with the remaining families are still ongoing.
The downing of the AZAL flight by Russian forces was a turning point in bilateral relations, provoking outrage in Azerbaijan and bringing ties between the two countries to their lowest point in decades. The incident left dozens dead and has become a symbol of mistrust in the region.
While Moscow emphasizes the financial compensation, the political damage has proven far harder to repair. Analysts note that the attack effectively ended the fragile cooperation that had persisted between the two states and accelerated Baku’s push to deepen ties with other partners.
