Russia accidentally shot Azerbaijan Airlines plane, Azeri leader says

Aliyev spoke to AZTV a day after he had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who apologized for the incident

Author of the article:

Bloomberg News

Zulfugar Agayev

Published Dec 29, 2024  •  2 minute read

Bloomberg

Russia shot at an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane “by accident” on Dec. 25, leading to the aircraft’s fatal crash, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told state TV on Sunday, calling on Moscow to take responsibility for the incident.

Aliyev spoke to AZTV a day after he had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who apologized for the incident without specifically saying that Russia had been at fault. The pair spoke again on Sunday about “various issues related to the crash,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax. No further details were provided.

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“Part of the fuselage didn’t burn, thanks to which today we can say openly that the plane was shot by Russia,” Aliyev told AZTV. “We aren’t saying that it was done intentionally, but it was done.”

The Embraer SA 190, which had been en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from Aktau, Kazakhstan, after flying hundreds of kilometers over the Caspian Sea in its damaged state. Thirty-eight people were killed while 29 survived, some with serious injuries.

Azerbaijan Airlines said on Thursday that the crash of its plane was caused by “external interference,” and Aliyev previously referenced numerous holes in the plane’s hull as well as statements from survivors.

Putin on Saturday told Aliyev that as the plane was trying to land, Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were under fire from Ukrainian combat drones, and that Russian air defenses were repelling these attacks, according to a Kremlin readout.

Azerbaijan’s government backed Caliber news website reported on Thursday that the aircraft had been damaged by Russian air defense while approaching Grozny.

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While Russia has apologized, it also needs to acknowledge its fault, punish those guilty, and pay compensation to the Azerbaijani state as well as the passengers and crew members compensation, Aliyev said on Sunday.

The crisis created by the incident risks damaging the relationship between Russia and Azerbaijan, which are strategic partners. Aliyev, president of the former Soviet republic since 2003, is on good terms with Putin and frequently visits him in Moscow. Putin is a welcome guest in Azerbaijan, a close ally of NATO-member Turkey.

Azerbaijan demanded an independent investigation as some circles in Russia attempted to cover up the incident with “nonsense” explanations, such as a bird strike or a possible explosion of an oxygen canister inside the plane, the Azeri president said.

“It openly showed that the Russian side wants to hush up the issue, and this, of course, reflects no honor on anyone,” he added.

On Saturday Aliyev said that a team of international experts had been assembled to investigate the causes of the crash.

Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident along with the Azerbaijani prosecutor general’s office, and ballistic and explosive examinations have started in Kazakhstan, the doomed plane’s final resting place.

Aliyev signed a decree on Sunday, posthumously decorating both of the plane’s pilots and one flight attendant with the country’s highest title, National Hero of Azerbaijan.

The passengers and crew members killed in the crash were buried in Baku on Sunday, and the president attended a farewell ceremony at Baku’s main airport.

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