Azerbaijan: Russia is trying to "hide" the cause of the plane crash

2024-12-29 16:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Azerbaijan: Russia is trying to "hide" the cause of the plane crash

Part of the plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024.

Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, has accused Russia of trying to cover up the cause of a deadly plane crash this week, calling on Moscow to accept responsibility.

The Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, Russia on December 25 when it veered off course and crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.

There was ample evidence that the plane was hit by a Russian air defense missile in Chechnya before it crashed near the city of Aktau in western Kazakhstan.

Aliyev said the plane was mistakenly shot down while approaching Grozny, adding that the plane's GPS system was affected by electronic interference.

"Our plane was accidentally shot down," Aliyev told state television on December 29. "Therefore, the admission of guilt, the immediate apology to Azerbaijan, which is considered a friendly country, and informing the public about this event, that all these measures and steps should be taken".

"Unfortunately, in the first three days we heard nothing from Russia except some absurd theories," Aliyev added, citing statements in Russia that the plane had crashed due to a bird strike or an explosion of a gas cylinder on the plane. .

These theories, said Aliyev, show that "the Russian side wants to hide this event".

Aliyev's statements come a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev but denied responsibility for the downing of the plane.

During a telephone conversation with Aliyev, Putin said that Russian air defenses were repelling an alleged drone attack carried out by Ukraine in Grozny, when the plane was trying to land at the airport there.

Putin "apologized for the tragic incident that took place in Russian space," the Kremlin statement said, implying that Putin acknowledged the plane had been damaged over Chechnya, but did not say whether the damage was caused by a missile attack. Russian rocket.

Russia's Investigative Committee has launched investigations into possible violations of flight safety rules, the statement said. Two Azerbaijani prosecutors are working with Russian authorities, along with their colleagues from Kazakhstan.

The Kremlin's statement is likely to raise suspicions that a Russian missile was what damaged the plane before it was diverted to Aktau when it crashed and burst into flames.

Evidence of a missile attack includes footage of damage inside the plane before it crashed and images of holes in the plane's tail after the crash, but also statements from survivors who said they heard at least one explosion outside the plane while it was flying. on Chechnya./REL