Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev stated Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed ultimate week used to be shot down by way of Russia, albeit by accident, and criticized Moscow for looking to “hush up” the problem for days. “We will say with entire readability that the airplane used to be shot down by way of Russia. (…) We aren’t announcing that it used to be carried out deliberately, however it used to be carried out,” he instructed Azerbaijani state tv.Aliyev stated that the airliner, which crashed Wednesday in Kazakhstan, used to be hit by way of hearth from the bottom over Russia and “rendered uncontrollable by way of digital conflict.” Aliyev accused Russia of looking to “hush up” the problem for a number of days, announcing he used to be “disillusioned and stunned” by way of variations of occasions put ahead by way of Russian officers.“Sadly, for the primary 3 days we heard not anything from Russia aside from delirious variations,” he stated.The crash killed 38 of 67 folks on board. The Kremlin stated that air protection methods had been firing close to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, the place the airplane tried to land, to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike.
Aliyev stated Azerbaijan made 3 calls for to Russia in reference to the crash.
“First, the Russian aspect will have to ask for forgiveness to Azerbaijan. 2nd, it will have to admit its guilt. 3rd, punish the in charge, carry them to felony duty and pay reimbursement to the Azerbaijani state, the injured passengers and team participants,” he stated.
Aliyev famous that the primary call for used to be “already fulfilled” when Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to him on Saturday. Putin known as the crash a “tragic incident” even though stopped in need of acknowledging Moscow’s duty.He stated that an investigation into the crash used to be ongoing, and that “the overall model (of occasions) will probably be recognized after the black containers are opened.”He famous that Azerbaijan used to be at all times “in choose of a bunch of world professionals” investigating the crash, and had “categorically refused” Russia’s advice that the Interstate Aviation Committee, which oversees civil aviation within the Commonwealth of Impartial States, examine it.
“It’s no secret that this group is composed most commonly of Russian officers and is headed by way of Russian voters. The standards of objectivity may no longer be totally ensured right here,” Aliyev stated.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov instructed Russian state media on Sunday that Putin had spoken to Aliyev over the telephone once more, however didn’t supply main points of the dialog.The Kremlin additionally stated a joint investigation by way of Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan used to be underway on the crash web page close to the town of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The airplane used to be flying from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to Grozny when it grew to become towards Kazakhstan, loads of kilometers (miles) around the Caspian Sea from its meant vacation spot, and crashed whilst attempting to land. Passengers and team who survived the crash instructed Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises at the plane because it used to be circling over Grozny.Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, stated Friday that because the airplane used to be getting ready to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones had been concentrated on the town, prompting government to near the world to air site visitors.
The crash is the second one fatal civil aviation twist of fate connected to preventing in Ukraine. Malaysia Airways Flight 17 used to be downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 folks aboard, because it flew over the world in japanese Ukraine managed by way of Moscow-backed separatists in 2014.Russia has denied duty, however a Dutch courtroom in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian guy for his or her function in downing the airplane with an air protection machine introduced into Ukraine from a Russian army base.___Associated Press author Aida Sultanova in London contributed to this record.
