The Ministry of Defense (MOD) of Russia did not confirm media reports that the Azerbaijani authorities had banned a military transport aircraft’s flight to Armenia.

NEWSru is Russian online news site, citing a blogger named GalandecZP, had informed that an Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter was heading to Armenia, in a “Syrian” direction.

“You can’t get to [Armenia’s capital city of] Yerevan; Azerbaijan doesn’t permit [it],” the dispatcher had said. “The flight is prohibited.”

And the flight crew were ordered to return to the airport they had departed from.

The Armenian News-NEWS.am source at the Russian MOD, however, did not confirm this information.

“There is no such information,” said the source. “Furthermore, ‘Syrian’ direction doesn’t include Armenia. Planes that are directly kinked to the strength of Erebuni airbase [in Yerevan] and the 102nd [Russian] Military Base [in Gyumri] arrive in the airbase.”