A total of 38 people died when an Azerbaijani aircraft crashed in Kazakhstan, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Aldabergenuly Bozymbaev said on Wednesday.

Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, likely caused by Russian air defense, shines light on a glaring issue the Kremlin has long swept under the rug.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday blamed the Russian war in Ukraine for the deadly Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan. "Russia's brutal war against Ukraine is affecting more and more innocent people - even outside Ukraine. This is shown by the air disaster in Aktau, which must be fully investigated," Scholz wrote on X.

The warning also includes non-EU carriers operating under EASA authorization.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has warned airlines against flying over Russia due to the high risks posed by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The warning follows the deadly crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan.

Russia and its four flight information regions (FIRs) to a list of potentially dangerous airspaces for civilian aircraft. According to the agency, the decision aims to "ensure maximum flight safety amid the ongoing full-scale war Russia is waging against Ukraine.