Moscow said Saturday that it was sceptical of claims by the Islamic State group's Egyptian affiliate to have downed a Russian passenger jet in the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people onboard.

"This information cannot be considered accurate," transport minister Maksim Sokolov said in comments cited by Russian news agencies. "We are in close contact with our Egyptian colleagues and aviation authorities in the country. At present, they have no information that would confirm such insinuations," he added.