Rabat — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused Russia of shooting down a plane heading for Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya, killing 38 people.
Aliyev says the plane was "shot at" from Russian territory and believes Moscow is trying to conceal the truth. "The plane was hit by accident," he said in a statement, adding however that “the Russians are guilty."
On Wednesday, a Azerbaijani airliner carrying 67 people crashed in southwestern Kazakhstan, killing at least 38 who were on board, according to Kazakh authorities.
In a sprawling rescue operation, 29 survivors – including two children – were pulled from the wreckage near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said, adding that 11 were in critical condition.
Aliyev claims it was hit above Russian land, near Grozny, by "military electronic jamming" systems. He also said the tail was badly damaged by gunfire from Russian ground forces.
Putin has made a general apology for the incident, expressing his condolences for the victims, but stopped short of admitting Russia was involved. He said drones from Ukraine were attacking Grozny at the time. Russian officials also claimed thick fog stopped the plane from landing safely.
However, this response is not thorough enough for Aliyev, who has called on Russia to admit its full responsibility. He wants Moscow to punish those behind the attack and compensate the families of those killed. “I hope the other conditions will be accepted too,” Aliyev said, adding that "Admitting (its) guilt, apologizing in a timely manner ... and informing the public about it, these are the measures and steps that should have been taken.”
Survivors of the crash and experts have pointed to the possibility of Russian air defense being involved. But Russia has not said much since the crash, except for offering explanations like a gas balloon explosion or a flock of birds.
The crash has drawn international attention. The White House said it had “preliminary indications” that Russia’s air defences may have been involved. The European Union has called for a “swift and independent” investigation.
As the investigation continues, many airlines have suspended flights to Russia, including Flydubai and Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air.
A full investigation into the crash is underway, and the Azerbaijani president has promised to release a full report once all the details are clear.