Russian MFA denounces fake letter linked to AZAL plane crash

A fake letter attributed to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and addressed to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov is a politically motivated fabrication intended to exploit the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crash, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated, Trend reports.

"A so-called letter, allegedly from Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bayramov, is circulating online. Written in English, it falsely claims that Russia cannot guarantee the safe use of its airspace. This is a cynical and crude forgery," the ministry said.

The statement emphasized that the fake letter is a "primitive forgery" aimed at provoking an emotional response. "The authors of this disinformation did not even attempt to give it official credibility, using a generic email domain and an ordinary email address," the ministry noted.

The ministry also highlighted the political motives behind the disinformation campaign, linking it to attempts to exploit the December 25 crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the Kazakh city of Aktau. "This is not the first fake of this nature regarding the incident," the statement added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reminded the public that the investigation into the crash is being conducted by the relevant authorities. On December 28, Lavrov and Bayramov held a telephone conversation during which they reaffirmed the commitment of the Russian and Azerbaijani presidents to ensure a comprehensive investigation into the tragic event.

"We once again urge all responsible participants in the information space, especially media representatives and bloggers, to critically evaluate unverified data and materials," the ministry stressed.

"Do not trust fakes. Rely only on verified information. Official materials, statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry, transcripts of Lavrov's speeches, and summaries of his conversations with foreign counterparts are available on the ministry's official web portal and social media accounts," the statement concluded.