Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has charged Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan for hiding the real cause of the deadly crash of an Airbus plane over Kazakhstan, leaving 38 people dead three days ago. The Boeing-operated Azerbaijan Airlines jet, over Russian skies near Grozny, was reportedly taken down by ground fire by the forces of separatists, Mr. Aliyev during remarks on his televised on Sunday said.
Aliyev expressed regret that some “circles” in Russia tried to spread false narratives about the crash. He urged Moscow to accept responsibility and apologize for the “tragic incident.” The Incident
The plane carrying 67 passengers and crew was on its way to Kazakhstan when it encountered “external interference” over Russian territory, Azerbaijan said. Aliyev said the electronic warfare systems jammed the aircraft’s control, while the fire from the ground destroyed its tail.
Of course, this was accidental,” Aliyev said, denying the slightest hint of an intentional attack. However, he acknowledged that Russia should have admitted its fault right away and informed the public about it.
Putin’s Response on Azerbaijan Plane Crash
The Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone call with him on Saturday apologized to Aliyev for the tragedy and called the crash “a tragic incident.” But, of course, the Kremlin refused to admit that the plane was hit by Russian fire.
The air defense had been activated when the Russian jet was attempting to land in Grozny, Chechnya, where it finally crashed in Kazakhstan. Moscow earlier blamed Ukraine’s drone attacks in the region for the chaos.
While acknowledging the mishap, the Aliyev government continues to demand an open inquiry and accountability of those behind the chaos.
Eyewitness Accounts and Evidence
Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev told reporters that all survivors of the crash testified to hearing three blasts before it happened. According to him, this evidence is “irrefutable” and shows the plane suffered from external damage while flying over Grozny.
The presidential office in Baku repeated those allegations, stating the aircraft suffered “physical and technical interference” in Russian airspace, causing it to lose control. The statement reads:
“President Ilham Aliyev emphasised that the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane encountered external physical and technical interference while in Russian airspace, resulting in a complete loss of control,”
Diplomatic Fallout
The incident has given a shadow to Azerbaijan-Russia relations. Aliyev said the apology was meaningless without admitting guilt. Thus, it is a truth which should be told with honesty and responsibility.
The tragic accident again shows how critical it can be to handle the rising tensions in the region. Investigations should be detailed to prevent such incidents.
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