El Al Airlines announced Monday that it has suspended its Tel Aviv-Moscow route until the end of March, citing security concerns.
The decision follows a comprehensive assessment conducted after last week’s crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in Kazakhstan, reportedly caused by a missile fired by Russian air defenses.
The suspension extends an earlier one-week halt to flights announced on Thursday. "This decision comes following ongoing discussions with relevant authorities to assess the situation," El Al said, promising to update passengers promptly.
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The crash occurred Wednesday when flight J2-8243 from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, veered hundreds of kilometers off course over the Caspian Sea before crashing near the Kazakh city of Aktau. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, calling the incident a "tragic accident," but denied responsibility.
The flight, carrying 67 passengers from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, crashed after erratic altitude changes were recorded, with the aircraft reportedly circling the area before impact. Graphic footage captured the plane engulfed in flames upon impact, with survivors seen escaping from the wreckage.
Plane crashes in Aktau, Kazakhstan
Conflicting explanations have emerged for the crash. Russia’s aviation authority initially suggested bird strikes caused the emergency, while Azerbaijan Airlines later cited "weather conditions." Observers noted the crash coincided with Ukrainian drone strikes in southern Russia, leading to airport closures in nearby regions.
Flight data tracking website FlightRadar24 reported significant GPS disruptions affecting the aircraft, a phenomenon previously linked to Russian interference in the region.