Azerbaijan's President Claims Russia Unintentionally Shot Down Crashed Jetliner | rssama.com

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that collapsed past week was changeable down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for trying to “hush up” nan rumor for days.

“We tin opportunity pinch complete clarity that nan level was changeable down by Russia. (...) We are not saying that it was done intentionally, but it was done,” he told Azerbaijani authorities television.

Aliyev said that nan airliner, which crashed Wednesday successful Kazakhstan, was deed by occurrence from nan crushed complete Russia and “rendered uncontrollable by physics warfare.” Aliyev accused Russia of trying to “hush up” nan rumor for respective days, saying he was “upset and surprised” by versions of events put guardant by Russian officials.

“Unfortunately, for nan first 3 days we heard thing from Russia isolated from delirious versions,” he said.

The clang killed 38 of 67 group connected board. The Kremlin said that aerial defense systems were firing adjacent Grozny, nan location superior of nan Russian republic of Chechnya, wherever nan level attempted to land, to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike.

Aliyev said Azerbaijan made 3 demands to Russia successful relationship pinch nan crash.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) welcomes President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during nan commencement of nan BRICS 2024 Summit successful Kazan, Russia, connected October 23.

Anadolu via Getty Images

“First, nan Russian broadside must apologize to Azerbaijan. Second, it must admit its guilt. Third, punish nan guilty, bring them to criminal work and salary compensation to nan Azerbaijani state, nan injured passengers and unit members,” he said.

Aliyev noted that nan first request was “already fulfilled” erstwhile Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to him connected Saturday. Putin called nan clang a “tragic incident” though stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility.

He said that an investigation into nan clang was ongoing, and that “the last type (of events) will beryllium known aft nan achromatic boxes are opened.”

He noted that Azerbaijan was ever “in favour of a group of world experts” investigating nan crash, and had “categorically refused” Russia’s proposal that nan Interstate Aviation Committee, which oversees civilian aviation successful nan Commonwealth of Independent States, analyse it.

“It is nary concealed that this statement consists mostly of Russian officials and is headed by Russian citizens. The factors of objectivity could not beryllium afloat ensured here,” Aliyev said.

Evidence being collected astatine nan clang tract of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) rider level adjacent Aktau, Kazakhstan, connected December 27, 2024.

Anadolu via Getty Images

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian authorities media connected Sunday that Putin had spoken to Aliyev complete nan telephone again, but did not supply specifications of nan conversation.

The Kremlin besides said a associated investigation by Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan was underway astatine nan clang tract adjacent nan metropolis of Aktau successful Kazakhstan. The level was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to Grozny erstwhile it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of kilometers (miles) crossed nan Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and collapsed while making an effort to land.

Passengers and unit who survived nan clang told Azerbaijani media that they heard large noises connected nan craft arsenic it was circling complete Grozny.

Dmitry Yadrov, caput of Russia’s civilian aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that arsenic nan level was preparing to onshore successful Grozny successful heavy fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting nan city, prompting authorities to adjacent nan area to aerial traffic.

The clang is nan second deadly civilian aviation accident linked to fighting successful Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed pinch a Russian surface-to-air missile, sidesplitting each 298 group aboard, arsenic it flew complete nan area successful eastbound Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists successful 2014.

Russia has denied responsibility, but a Dutch tribunal successful 2022 convicted 2 Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their domiciled successful downing nan level pinch an aerial defense strategy brought into Ukraine from a Russian subject base.

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Associated Press writer Aida Sultanova successful London contributed to this report.