AZAL Plane Was Shot Down Over Russia, Azerbaijani President Confirms

The Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane that crashed in Kazakhstan was damaged by gunfire from the ground while flying over Russian territory, according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The aircraft, an Embraer 190, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, resulting in the deaths of 38 people.

In an interview with Azerbaijani television, President Aliyev confirmed that the aircraft was struck by fire near the Russian city of Grozny, causing it to lose control. “The facts show that the Azerbaijani civilian aircraft was damaged externally on Russian territory, near Grozny, and almost lost control,” said Aliyev.

Aliyev also emphasized that the tail of the aircraft was severely damaged by the gunfire. “The fuselage was riddled with holes, which rules out the possibility of a bird strike,” he added, dismissing earlier speculations that a bird collision caused the crash.

The president criticized Russian authorities for suggesting that the crash could have been caused by an explosion of a gas cylinder. “This clearly showed that the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue,” Aliyev stated, calling the official Russian explanations “nonsense.”

While the final cause of the crash will only be known after the black boxes are analyzed, Aliyev pointed out that the initial facts were supported by evidence. “We also know that our aircraft was brought into an uncontrollable state by means of electronic warfare,” Aliyev explained, adding that Azerbaijan had officially communicated its demands to Russia on December 27.

Azerbaijan is calling for Russia to acknowledge its responsibility, punish those responsible, and provide compensation to the victims’ families and the Azerbaijani state. “These are our demands. The first condition was met yesterday when Putin apologized for the downed plane,” Aliyev said. He expressed hope that the remaining conditions would be accepted, noting that these were based on international norms and human decency.

The Azerbaijani president also expressed frustration over Russia’s initial response, stating that for the first three days, there was no response other than “absurd versions” of events. He emphasized that acknowledging the accident and apologizing promptly would have been the appropriate steps for Russia to take.

President Aliyev reiterated that while the crash was an accident, it was still essential for the circumstances surrounding the incident to be thoroughly investigated and clarified. “When the black boxes are opened, we will know all the details and many of the questions raised today will be answered,” he concluded.

The tragic crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight, which was en route from Baku to Grozny, occurred early on December 25 near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The crash resulted in the loss of 38 lives.