Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has claimed that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which crashed in Kazakhstan earlier this week, was struck by ground fire from Russian territory. The crash resulted in 38 fatalities among the 67 passengers on board. Aliyev has demanded that Russia accept responsibility and apologize for the incident.
President Aliyev accused certain Russian factions of attempting to suppress the truth about the crash. Speaking on Azerbaijani state television, he criticized Moscow for promoting misleading narratives about the incident.
“The facts indicate that the Azerbaijani civilian plane sustained external damage while flying over Russian territory near Grozny. The aircraft nearly lost control due to electronic warfare systems, and its tail section was severely damaged by ground fire,” Aliyev stated.
Despite asserting that the plane was hit accidentally, Aliyev emphasized the need for Russia to acknowledge the incident, issue an apology, and provide transparency to the public.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly apologized to Aliyev in a phone call, referring to the crash as a “tragic incident.” However, Putin stopped short of admitting that Russian fire was responsible. The Kremlin stated that Russian air defenses were active in Grozny when the plane attempted to land but denied any direct involvement in the crash.
Azerbaijan’s government has rejected this explanation. Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev disclosed that survivors reported hearing three distinct explosions as the plane flew over Grozny. He confirmed that the aircraft experienced “external interference,” causing severe internal and external damage.
Azerbaijan continues to demand a full investigation into the crash and accountability for those responsible. President Aliyev reiterated that the incident was not deliberate but stressed the importance of transparency and justice.
This tragic event has strained relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, with the international community closely monitoring the unfolding developments.
