A tragic Christmas Day plane crash that claimed the lives of 38 people has been linked to ground fire from Russian forces, according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
In a statement today, Aliyev expressed regret over what he described as efforts by certain Russian factions to obscure the truth about the Azerbaijan Airlines crash.
Speaking on Azerbaijani state television, Aliyev asserted, “We can say with complete clarity that Russia shot the plane down. We are not saying it was done intentionally but was done.”
The passenger plane, which carried 67 people, was reportedly denied permission to land in Russia and redirected to Kazakhstan, where it ultimately crashed. More than half of those on board lost their lives.
Aliyev claimed the aircraft was struck by fire from the ground and further incapacitated by electronic warfare. He expressed dismay at alternative explanations offered by Russian officials, calling them both upsetting and surprising.
Survivors of the crash reported hearing loud noises while the plane was circling over Grozny, a city in Chechnya where it had been scheduled to land after departing Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a statement yesterday apologising to Azerbaijan for the “tragic incident.” He acknowledged that Russian air defences were active near Grozny when the aircraft passed through the area but stopped short of accepting responsibility for the crash.
Aliyev outlined three demands directed at Russia: a formal apology to Azerbaijan, an admission of guilt, and the prosecution of those responsible, along with compensation for the Azerbaijani state and the injured passengers and crew members. The UK has also weighed in on the incident, calling for an independent investigation.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office extended condolences to the victims’ families and issued a pointed critique of Russia’s actions.
Part of the plane was not destroyed in the subsequent fire after the crash (Picture: Issa Tazhenbayev/AFP)
“President Putin’s statement fails to recognise that the reckless and irresponsible actions of the Russian state pose an acute and direct threat to the interests and national security of other states,” the spokesperson said.
The incident has cast a shadow over the holiday season. It comes just days before South Korea faced its deadliest aviation disaster, where nearly all 181 passengers on board perished after a suspected bird strike during landing. The twin tragedies have raised fresh concerns about aviation safety and international accountability.
