By The Related Press
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev mentioned Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed final week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticized Moscow for attempting to “hush up” the difficulty for days.
“We will say with full readability that the airplane was shot down by Russia. (…) We aren’t saying that it was finished deliberately, however it was finished,” he informed Azerbaijani state tv.
Aliyev mentioned that the airliner, which crashed Wednesday in Kazakhstan, was hit by fireplace from the bottom over Russia and “rendered uncontrollable by digital warfare.” Aliyev accused Russia of attempting to “hush up” the difficulty for a number of days, saying he was “upset and shocked” by variations of occasions put ahead by Russian officers.
“Sadly, for the primary three days we heard nothing from Russia besides delirious variations,” he mentioned.
The crash killed 38 of 67 folks on board. The Kremlin mentioned that air protection programs have 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 mentioned Azerbaijan made three calls for to Russia in reference to the crash.
“First, the Russian facet should apologize to Azerbaijan. Second, it should admit its guilt. Third, punish the responsible, deliver them to legal duty and pay compensation to the Azerbaijani state, the injured passengers and crew members,” he mentioned.
Aliyev famous that the primary demand was “already fulfilled” when Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to him on Saturday. Putin referred to as the crash a “tragic incident” although stopped wanting acknowledging Moscow’s duty.
He mentioned that an investigation into the crash was ongoing, and that “the ultimate model (of occasions) might be recognized after the black containers are opened.”
He famous that Azerbaijan was at all times “in favor of a bunch of worldwide consultants” investigating the crash, and had “categorically refused” Russia’s suggestion that the Interstate Aviation Committee, which oversees civil aviation within the Commonwealth of Unbiased States, examine it.
“It’s no secret that this group consists principally of Russian officers and is headed by Russian residents. The components of objectivity couldn’t be totally ensured right here,” Aliyev mentioned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed Russian state media on Sunday that Putin had spoken to Aliyev over the cellphone once more, however didn’t present particulars of the dialog.
The Kremlin additionally mentioned a joint investigation by Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan was underway on the crash website close to town of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The airplane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned towards Kazakhstan, a whole bunch of kilometers (miles) throughout the Caspian Sea from its meant vacation spot, and crashed whereas attempting to land.
Passengers and crew who survived the crash informed Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises on the plane because it was circling over Grozny.
Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, mentioned Friday that because the airplane was getting ready to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones have been focusing on town, prompting authorities to shut the world to air visitors.
The crash is the second lethal civil aviation accident linked to preventing in Ukraine. Malaysia Airways Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 folks aboard, because it flew over the world in jap Ukraine managed by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014.
Russia has denied duty, however a Dutch court docket in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for his or her function in downing the airplane with an air protection system introduced into Ukraine from a Russian navy base.
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Related Press author Aida Sultanova in London contributed to this report.
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