Azerbaijani President Accuses Russia of Firing on Airliner, Demands Apology and Compensation
Accusation of Russian Involvement in Airliner Crash
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused Russia of firing on an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet before it crashed, killing 38 people, and of initially trying to cover up the cause of the fatal disaster. Aliyev made the accusation in an interview to state media at Baku airport, four days after the AZAL plane crashed in Kazakhstan.
Accusation and Demands
Aliyev stated that the Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory, near the city of Grozny, and almost lost control. He also claimed that electronic warfare systems put the plane out of control, and that the tail of the plane was severely damaged as a result of fire from the ground. While acknowledging that the plane was hit by accident, Aliyev expressed anger that Moscow had apparently tried to hide the cause of the crash and demanded that Russia admit its guilt.
Azerbaijani Demands
Aliyev urged Moscow to issue a public apology to Azerbaijan, stating that Baku had made official "demands" to Russia two days ago. He outlined three conditions: first, the Russian side must apologize to Azerbaijan; second, it must acknowledge its guilt; and third, those responsible must be punished, brought to criminal responsibility, and compensation must be paid to the Azerbaijani state, as well as to the injured passengers and crew members.
Russian Response
The Kremlin issued a statement on the phone call between Putin and Aliyev, saying that Putin had apologised to Azerbaijan over the "tragic incident", but gave no indication that Putin had claimed responsibility for the crash. Later, Putin called for a "transparent" probe into the crash.
International Reactions
The United States said it had "early indications" that Russia was responsible for the crash but did not provide details. The European Union called on Saturday for a "swift" and "independent" probe into the crash.
Conclusion
The incident has sparked a crisis in relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, with Azerbaijan demanding a public apology, admission of guilt, and compensation. The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of air travel in the region and the potential for further tensions between the two countries.
FAQs
- What did Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev say about the crash?
- He accused Russia of firing on an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet before it crashed, killing 38 people.
- What are Azerbaijan’s demands from Russia?
- A public apology, admission of guilt, punishment for those responsible, and compensation to the Azerbaijani state and injured passengers and crew members.
- What is Russia’s response to the crisis?
- The Kremlin has denied responsibility for the crash, and President Putin has called for a "transparent" probe into the crash.
- What is the international reaction to the crisis?
- The United States has expressed concerns about the safety of air travel in the region, while the European Union has called for a "swift" and "independent" probe into the crash.