New details have surfaced regarding the tragic AZAL plane crash from Baku to Grozny, as reported by the Telegram channel VchK-OGPU, which is associated with the predecessor organizations of the current FSB.

Axar.az reports that citing Caliber.аz, the dispatcher on duty during the incident, Ali Idrisov, was interrogated by investigators last night.

Idrisov, who is a former player of the Terek football club (now Akhmat), provided testimony as a witness in the ongoing investigation.

According to Idrisov, he was unaware of the air defence operations during the flight's approach. He claimed that he only learned of the “Carpet” plan—implemented in response to the incident—five minutes after the crash. Idrisov explained that, up until that point, he believed the situation was simply a bird strike, relying on the crew’s initial report.

"Yesterday, throughout the evening, investigators from the Investigative Committee of Russia questioned employees of the local branch of the State ATM Corporation in Grozny. Dispatcher Ali Idrisov, who coordinated the failed landing of the Baku-Grozny flight, provided his testimony regarding the air accident over Grozny," the telegram channel reported.

A notable detail revealed during the investigation is Idrisov’s background. Before becoming a dispatcher, he had a career as a professional footballer, playing for Grozny’s Terek (now Akhmat) football club. After retiring from football, Idrisov worked as a lawyer at the Interregional Association of Builders in 2016, and later transitioned into his role as a dispatcher a few years ago at the age of 33.

According to Idrisov’s testimony, he was unaware of any UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) attack or the activation of air defence systems. He continued to believe that the plane had collided with birds until the 22nd minute of the flight, around 08:21 Moscow time, when the aircraft crew reported being hit. It was only at this point that he became aware of the "Carpet" plan, five minutes after the initial report, which had mistakenly attributed the incident to a bird strike.