MOSCOW, September 4. /TASS/. Reports that Russia didn’t make insurance payouts in the December 2024 Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) aircraft crash are untrue, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Telegram.

"This is just another attempt to exploit a tragedy in the familiar cynical style, designed to evoke an emotional reaction from the audience," the ministry said. "Such insinuations are untrue. It’s a lie."

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that to date, $4.4 mln in insurance money has been paid out to the injured passengers and relatives of the victims.

"Claims related to the injuries and deaths of 46 out of 62 passengers on the flight have been fully settled, including payouts for seven out of 15 Russian citizens, 35 out of 38 Azerbaijani citizens, all three Kyrgyz citizens, and one out of six Kazakh citizens," it said. "Work continues with the victims and relatives of the victims to fully settle the remaining claims."

The ministry said that such attempts by some media and bloggers to misinform the public on this sensitive issue "leave no doubt about the destructive intentions and complete lack of moral guidance of their authors and those who stand behind them.

"We urge you not to succumb to obvious speculations and disinformation, especially such sleazy ones. Once again, we recommend that you be vigilant, observe digital hygiene, and focus only on official information and trust verified sources.".