Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has called on Russia to acknowledge responsibility for a recent plane crash that claimed 38 lives. The incident occurred last week when a passenger plane flying over Russian airspace was reportedly damaged by ground fire, leading to its crash in Kazakhstan.
Aliyev, speaking on state television, outlined Azerbaijan’s demands: an official apology from Russia, recognition of its accountability, punishment for those involved, and compensation for the victims, crew, and the Azerbaijani state. According to Azerbaijani officials, a preliminary investigation indicated that a Russian surface-to-air missile was fired at the aircraft while it was over Chechnya. These demands were formally communicated to Russian authorities on December 27.
The Azerbaijani leader emphasized the importance of addressing the incident transparently, given Azerbaijan’s friendly relations with Russia. He clarified that the attack on the plane was unintentional but stressed the necessity for Russia to take appropriate corrective measures and make the situation public. Aliyev acknowledged that the first demand an apology was fulfilled when Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed regret over the event during a phone conversation on Saturday. However, Aliyev urged further action to meet the remaining demands.
Aliyev described the sequence of events leading to the tragedy, stating that the Azerbaijani aircraft had been damaged externally while flying over Russian territory near Grozny. He alleged that electronic warfare disrupted the aircraft’s control systems and that the plane’s tail section sustained severe damage from ground fire. These assertions, based on initial findings, would be confirmed after analyzing the black box recordings.
During their discussion, Putin reportedly linked the incident to ongoing conflicts involving Ukrainian drones, which had attacked several Russian cities, including Grozny, Vladikavkaz, and Mozdok, around the same time as the plane’s approach to its destination. Russian air defenses had been engaged in repelling these attacks, which may have contributed to the tragic accident.
Aliyev expressed confidence in the preliminary evidence but underscored the importance of the black box investigation to determine the full sequence of events. He reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to seeking justice for the victims and ensuring accountability from those responsible for the crash.
