“Of course, our plane was hit by accident,” President Aliyev says, asking Russia to admit “guilt” in the disaster.
Details
- President’s Statement:
- Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev stated on Sunday that the Azerbaijan Airlines jet that crashed this week was shot at from Russia and called on Moscow to admit “guilt” in the disaster.
- He said the plane was “accidentally” hit by Russian fire, causing significant damage to its exterior over Russian territory near Grozny.
- What Happened?
- Aliyev explained that electronic warfare systems rendered the plane uncontrollable, and that ground fire severely damaged the tail of the plane.
- Russian Response:
- On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the crash but stopped short of accepting that the plane was struck by Russian fire.
- Moscow had previously claimed that Grozny was attacked by Ukrainian drones on the same day of the crash.
- Azerbaijan’s Position:
- Aliyev condemned Russia for putting forward theories that seemed to cover up the issue. He stressed that it was an accident, not a deliberate act of terror.
- He called on Russia to admit its mistake and issue an apology to Azerbaijan, which is considered a friendly nation.
- U.S. Position:
- The United States also indicated that the plane may have been shot down by Russian fire, based on early evidence.
Conclusion
The dispute between Azerbaijan and Russia continues, with Azerbaijan expecting Russia to take responsibility for the incident.
