Azerbaijan is entitled to file a lawsuit against Russia over a deadly 2024 air crash, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, following remarks by President Ilham Aliyev suggesting legal action is being considered.

Aliyev said last week that his government had already notified Moscow of its intentions related to the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243. The aircraft was damaged in Russian airspace during a Ukrainian drone raid and later made a hard landing in Kazakhstan. Thirty-eight of the 67 people on board were killed.

He did not specify when a lawsuit might be filed, but noted that a full investigation would take time. Peskov echoed this, stating that Russia would “await the official verdicts of all probes and inquiries.” A preliminary report pointed to “external interference” as the cause but did not elaborate.

This comes amid growing tensions between Moscow and Baku. Relations deteriorated after a Russian law enforcement raid in Ekaterinburg last month led to the deaths of two Azerbaijani nationals identified as suspected gang members. Azerbaijani officials rejected the findings of Russian investigators and accused the police of murder.

The diplomatic fallout prompted a response from Baku. Azerbaijani police raided the Baku office of Russian news network Sputnik and detained two journalists and several other people. In addition, the government suspended all cultural events related to Russia.

While acknowledging the current tensions, Peskov highlighted the traditionally cooperative ties between the two countries and expressed hope for deescalation.

”Respect for Russians in Azerbaijan is very important for us,” he said. “Russia is home to a large Azerbaijani diaspora. Virtually all members of this diaspora are law-abiding citizens, who enjoy deserved respect here. Those who break the law are being lawfully held accountable.”

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