Peskov: Putin doesn't plan to make statement on AZAL plane crash

Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't plan to make a statement regarding the AZAL plane crash, Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists, Report informs via TASS.

"No, there are no plans [for a statement about the plane crash]," he noted.

A preliminary investigation report on the plane crash was recently released. It indicates that the damage found in the aircraft fuselage was caused by external objects.

The report contains no information about any facts indicating a bird strike, nor information about an oxygen cylinder explosion.

At 05:13:32, the aircraft's main control systems failed; at 05:21:42, the interaction controller reported to Grozny about the "Kovyor" operation.

The AZAL passenger plane, operating the Baku-Grozny flight, crashed on December 25 near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan.

Of the 67 people on board the aircraft, 38 died and 29 survived. According to preliminary data, the plane crashed as a result of physical and technical external impact in the airspace of the Russian Federation over Grozny.