Russian President Vladimir Putin has twice spoken with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and issued an apology regarding the crash of an Azerbaijani plane confirmed Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary.
“Putin apologized for the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines liner and expressed deep condolences, the investigative bodies were given the necessary instructions and are being assisted in investigating the crash,” Peskov said.
According to Peskov, Putin expressed deep condolences over the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 aircraft and assured Aliyev that Russian investigative bodies are cooperating fully to uncover the causes of the disaster. Aliyev, however, accused Russian representatives of being responsible for the crash, to which Peskov responded:
“We are committed to an impartial investigation to determine the exact causes of this tragedy.”
The Aktau Plane Crash
The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190, operating flight J28243 from Baku to Grozny, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25. After being denied landing clearance in Grozny and Makhachkala, the aircraft attempted an emergency landing but crashed a few kilometers from Aktau Airport. The crash resulted in a fire and explosion, claiming 38 lives, though 29 passengers in the tail section survived.
Initial inspections of the wreckage revealed holes in the aircraft, raising suspicions that it might have been hit by an air defense system intended to repel a drone attack in Chechnya. Azerbaijan Airlines also indicated that the crash may have been caused by external electronic interference.
Aliyev on the Cause of the Crash
In an interview with Azerbaijani television, President Aliyev stated:
“The facts show that the Azerbaijani civilian plane suffered external damage over Russian territory near Grozny. Electronic warfare systems rendered the plane uncontrollable, leading to the tragedy.”
Aliyev later emphasized Russia’s culpability, stating:
“I can confidently say that representatives of the Russian Federation are responsible for the crash and the deaths of Azerbaijani citizens. The initial findings will soon clarify the full picture of this tragedy and help ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
Azerbaijan’s Demands to Russia
“We have clearly stated our demands to the Russian side. These demands were officially submitted to them on December 27. What are they? First, the Russian side must apologize to Azerbaijan. Second, they must admit their guilt. Third, they must punish the guilty, bring them to justice, and compensate Azerbaijan, the injured passengers and crew members — these are our conditions. The first of them was presented yesterday. I hope that our other conditions will also be accepted,” said Ilham Aliyev.
President Aliyev outlined Azerbaijan’s conditions to Russia on December 27:
- Formal Apology: Russia must officially apologize to Azerbaijan.
- Admittance of Guilt: Russian authorities must acknowledge their responsibility.
- Justice and Compensation: Those responsible must be punished, and compensation must be provided to Azerbaijan, the passengers, and the crew.
Aliyev stated that the first condition—an apology—had been met, and he expressed hope that the remaining demands would also be fulfilled.
Investigation Updates
Brazilian investigators, alongside experts from Azerbaijan and Russia, have completed decoding the black boxes from the crashed aircraft. The data has been shared with Kazakhstan, which is leading the investigation and is responsible for publishing the final report. The report is expected to provide a comprehensive explanation of the crash and its causes.
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