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The Major Cases Directorate of the RF Investigative Committee continues the investigation into a crime under Articles 205 and 222.1 of the RF Penal Code (a terrorist attack; illegal purchase, transfer, selling, storage, transportation or possession of explosives or explosive devices) following a terrorist attack onboard Airbus A321 flight 9268 en route from Egypt to Saint Petersburg.

It has been established that on 31 October 2015, at 6:51 AM, the plane took off from the airport of Sharm el-Sheikh for Saint Petersburg and about 23 minutes later the contact with it was lost. There were 217 passengers and 7 crew members onboard. An investigative team was set up immediately. The same day a jet owned by the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations flew to the scene carrying investigators and criminalists of the Investigative Committee’s Central Office who had experience in investigating plane crashes so that they could take part in operations conducted at the crash scene by competent bodies of Egypt.

On the first day the investigators searched the offices of Kogalymavia airlines and Brisko travel agent, as well as at the Domodedovo airport. They confiscated documents relevant for the investigation and related to the activity of the airlines, operation and maintenance of the plane. Fuel samples and corresponding documents related to pre-flight technical check of the plane were seized and all the documents on maintenance of the plane since it had been started to be operated. A number of forensic inquiries let the investigators make a suggestion that there was a terrorist attack on the board of the plane.

The Chairman of the Russia’s Investigative Committee met with Prosecutor General of Egypt Nabil Ahmed Sadiq several times to determine joint mechanism of investigation.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee paid another working visit to Egypt in September to discuss organization of joint investigation. The officials talked about the progress and results of the probe and execution of mutual requests. They agreed to look in the circumstances of the crash together. They signed a Memorandum of understanding between the RF Investigative Committee and the Egypt’s Prosecutor General’s Office for cooperation in the investigation.

At Investigative Committee’s insistence, the international investigative commission made a surface layout of the plane’s fragments at the airport in Cairo. The team of the Investigative Committee’s Central Office examined the layout, identified and documented the places where the blast ripped through the fuselage as well as the areas of subsequent damage. The results of the examination were given to a commission of experts who are now running comprehensive forensic inquiry to establish the details of the crime. The investigators also examined the airport in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Those examinations are the first example of independent criminal procedural operations carried out by Russian investigative authorities abroad based on the provisions of the RF Criminal Procedure Code introduced by the Federal Law of 6 July 2016 No 375-FZ “On amendments to the RF Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code regarding introduction of additional counter-terrorism measures and ensuring public safety.”

At present the team of Russian investigators continue investigative operations in Egypt. All possible measures are being taken to identify and arrest all those involved in death of all the people aboard the plane.

Acting Head of Media Relations                                                                                                               S.L. Petrenko