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No decisions on SSJ 100 aircraft operations suspension taken, Kremlin says

It is necessary to wait for officials findings of the commission regarding the cause of the flight accident, the Kremlin spokesman said

© Marina Lystseva/TASS

MOSCOW, May 6. /TASS/. The decision on potential suspension of Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ) aircraft operations should be taken after the formal investigation of the accident at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday, adding that the issue is not the domain of Russian President.

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"Taking a decision in favor of suspension or maintaining flights of aircraft of this or that model or this or that brand is not the domain of the president. Only experts and special aviation bodies of the Russian Federation can do that," he said. "We know that no decisions regarding the issue have been taken yet. Moreover, it is necessary to wait for officials findings of the commission regarding the cause of the flight accident," Peskov added.

Spokesman noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin receives reports on Sunday’s crash of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 plane at Sheremetyevo. He also urged to focus on the official results of the flight accident investigation.

Earlier reports said that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev requested to set up a state commission to investigate into the circumstances of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger plane crash.

On May 5, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 plane operated by Aeroflot carrying 73 passengers and five crewmembers bound for Murmansk caught fire after emergency landing at Sheremetyevo shortly after the takeoff. The accident killed 41, nine more were hospitalized.

An investigation has been opened under Article 263.3 of the Russian Criminal Code (air safety violations leading to two or more deaths by negligence). Several causes for the crash are being considered, including the pilots’ incompetence, a technical malfunction, and weather conditions.

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