Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has dismissed suggestions that the crash of a passenger aircraft in Egypt last weekend might be linked to Russia's military operation in Syria. "Hypothetical guesswork on this subject is completely inappropriate. They're completely different cases, different issues, and there's no need to connect to two," Peskov said.
“We've repeatedly stressed that you can speculate as much as you like, while the investigation is still underway, but it doesn't mean it has any relationship to the real state of affairs,” Peskov said.
Interfax
- On Saturday morning, October 31, an Airbus A321 Russian passenger flight operated by Metrojet crashed in the mountainous area of central Sinai, en route to St. Petersburg. According to flight records, there were 224 people on board. The flight was organized by the St.-Petersburg-based tourist company Brisco.
- After the crash, Egyptian authorities said the likeliest scenario is that the tragedy was the result of a technical malfunction on the airplane, though more definite conclusions will be possible only after reviewing the plane's flight recorders. Russian aviation officials have refused to speculate about the reasons for the crash, before the flight recorders have been reviewed.
- Shortly after the crash, figures identifying themselves as members of ISIL claimed responsibility for the tragedy. There is not yet any confirmation that the plane was brought down because of an attack.
- After the crash, Egyptian authorities say the likeliest scenario is that the tragedy was the result of a technical malfunction on the airplane, though more definite conclusions will be possible only after reviewing the plane's flight recorders. Russian aviation officials have refused to speculate about the reasons for the crash, before the flight recorders have been reviewed. Metrojet, the airline that operated the lost flight, insists that there was no problem with the plane.