Azeri President Blames Russia for Passenger Jet Downing, Demands Apology
The Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed on Christmas Day in Kazakhstan was accidentally shot down by Russia, its president, Ilham Aliyev, has stated. Speaking to the state broadcaster, he acknowledged that it wasn’t intentional, but emphasized, "it happened nonetheless."
The ill-fated flight, en route from Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya region, ended tragically, with 38 out of 67 passengers losing their lives. Aliyev has since criticized Russia for attempting to suppress the incident and spreading "insane theories" about its cause in the aftermath.
Aliyev has now called on Russia to apologize and accept responsibility. He also demands that those accountable be held to justice. In response, the Kremlin revealed that President Putin had discussed the matter with his Azeri counterpart.
