Azeri Leader Says Russia Shot Down Azerbaijan Airlines Flight, Putin Expresses Regret

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Russia inadvertently fired at an Azerbaijan Airlines flight over Russian airspace on Wednesday, leading it to crash just beyond Russia’s borders. Vladimir Putin expressed regret over the incident on Saturday, but Aliyev is calling on Moscow to accept full responsibility.

What Happened: The aircraft was unable to land at its intended destination in Grozny, Chechnya, and was diverted east, ultimately crashing near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The crash led to the loss of 38 lives, with two children among the survivors.

As per a report by CNN, the passengers on the flight hailed from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The exact cause of the incident is yet to be confirmed, but preliminary findings hint at the possible involvement of a Russian anti-aircraft system. Russia has not accepted responsibility.

Putin conveyed his condolences to Aliyev. Putin "apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace" in a phone call with Aliyev, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Aliyev told state television on Sunday that Russia had inadvertently fired upon the passenger plane, resulting in the catastrophic crash. He called on Moscow to accept full responsibility for the tragic incident, reports Bloomberg.

"Part of the fuselage didn't burn, thanks to which today we can say openly that the plane was shot by Russia," Aliyev told state television. "We aren't saying that it was done intentionally, but it was done."

Aliyev's remarks came a day after a phone conversation with Putin, during which Putin expressed regret over the incident but stopped short of admitting Russian culpability.

The two leaders spoke again on Sunday to discuss "various matters related to the crash," according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as reported by Interfax.

Also Read: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight Hit by ‘External Interference’ Over Russia Before Fatal Crash

Images of the crashed plane reveal perforations akin to shrapnel or debris damage, though the exact cause of these perforations is yet to be determined.

In the aftermath of the incident, several airlines, including Azerbaijan Airlines, have temporarily halted flights to certain areas in Russia due to safety concerns.

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