Azerbaijan Demands Accountability from Russia After Fatal Plane Crash

President Ilham Aliyev accuses Moscow of covering up details surrounding the downing of an Azerbaijani Airlines flight as Russia issues apologies but refrains from accepting blame.

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has made a strong appeal for Russia to take responsibility for a tragic plane crash that occurred on Christmas Day, resulting in the deaths of 38 individuals. The ill-fated flight, which was en route from Baku to Chechnya, may have come under fire from Russian air defense systems during its landing attempt before crashing in Kazakhstan.

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his apologies to Aliyev concerning the incident, yet he stopped short of acknowledging any wrongdoing. In response, Aliyev accused Moscow of an initial "cover-up" regarding its involvement in the crash, stating that while he accepted the apology, it did not absolve Russia of its obligations to admit guilt and provide compensation.

The flight, designated J2-8243, was said to have been diverted after coming under fire and crashed near Aktau, killing 38 out of the 67 individuals onboard—many of whom were Azerbaijani citizens, with others hailing from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Both aviation experts and local authorities suspect that electronic jamming interfered with the aircraft's GPS, leading to further damage from shrapnel due to Russian missile activity.

Aliyev criticized Russian theories suggesting the explosion was caused by a gas cylinder or even bird strikes as "foolish and dishonest." He acknowledged that, while he understands the incident could have been an accident, the initial attempts at explanation from Russia were absurd and misleading.

Despite an apology from the Kremlin, which emphasized that the incident occurred amidst Ukrainian drone operations, there was no outright admission regarding the involvement of Russian missiles in downing the plane. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine also urged Russia to cease the dissemination of false information, suggesting the damages to the plane bore the hallmarks of an air defense strike.

Azerbaijan is pressing for accountability and has set forth demands to Russia, including recognition of guilt, penalization of those responsible, and compensation for the victims and their families. Aliyev expressed disbelief that a friendly nation would fire upon an Azerbaijani aircraft, as the nation mourns the loss of lives on board the doomed flight. Honoring the crew members, Azerbaijan has recognized their efforts in ensuring the survival of 29 passengers at the cost of their lives during the emergency landing attempts.