Chechen leader's reps in Russia instruct on commenting on Azerbaijani plane crash

The National Resistance Center (NRC) has obtained a letter from Turpal Ilyasov, the representative of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in Russia's Ural Federal District, containing instructions on how to comment on the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan.

Source: NRC

Details: Reportedly, Kadyrov has an extensive network of representatives throughout Russia. The document received by the NRC was drafted and sent on behalf of Turpal Ilyasov, Kadyrov’s representative in the Ural Federal District.

The letter outlining Kadyrov’s official position on the plane crash in Kazakhstan

Photo: NRC

The source that provided Ilyasov’s letter to the NRC received it from Ilyasov’s son, Adam, who also works at the representative office as the head of the secretariat and is responsible for media relations.

The NRC said the document is essentially a "directive" outlining what should and should not be commented on. The text reflects the stance of Kadyrov and his administration head, Galas Taimaskhanov.

Quote from the NRC: "In particular, the letter shows how language in Russia is becoming a tool for building a parallel reality. For example, it is suggested to ignore any references to the downing of the plane. Instead, it is recommended to call it a tragic incident," the NRC said.

The letter states that "we do not comment on the situation surrounding this incident; if comments are allowed, we should avoid the phrases ‘downing’, ‘air defence strike’, etc., and instead use the phrases ‘unfortunate mistake’, ‘air incident’, ‘tragic coincidence’, etc. We also do not comment on the work of air defence forces and means, especially the deployment of air defence installations around the city of Grozny, which is the prerogative of the Defence Ministry."

The letter also reveals details of behind-the-scenes power struggles within Russia’s political elite. For instance, it asserts that Russia never admits to any wrongdoings, and that this is Putin’s definitive stance. As a result, the incident is simply being described as a "tragic accident that occurred in Russian airspace".

Furthermore, the letter suggests that Putin’s dependence on the loyalty of Chechen leaders is critical. It notes that "Putin also assured Kadyrov that the Chechen authorities acted in full compliance with the challenges dictated by the situation", adding that "the tragedy of the crash can be explained by the incompetence and inability to respond flexibly to emergency situations of air traffic controllers".

Background:

• On 25 December, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer aircraft en route from Baku to Grozny crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on the Caspian Sea. According to Azerbaijan Airlines, 67 people were on board, including 5 crew members. Of these, 42 were citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 were Russians, 6 were Kazakhs, and 3 were Kyrgyz nationals.
• Azerbaijan Airlines said the crash had been caused by external physical and technical interference.
• During a telephone conversation with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on 28 December, Russian leader Vladimir Putin apologised for the fact that a "tragic incident" involving an Azerbaijan Airlines plane occurred in Russian airspace, but did not admit Russia’s guilt.
• On 29 December, Aliyev stated that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was involved in an incident over Russian territory, was shot at from the ground. He also demanded that Russia acknowledge its responsibility and provide compensation.
• On the same day, Putin called Aliyev for the second time, and they continued their discussions regarding the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash.

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