Zelenskyy Offers Condolences to Azerbaijan Following Airlines Crash, Calls for Investigation on Russia’s Interference

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy extended his condolences to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan in the wake of the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight, calling for a full investigation and accountability on December 27.

"Every human life is invaluable, and every loss of life demands a thorough investigation to uncover the truth," Zelenskyy stated.

The Ukrainian President pointed to emerging evidence from the crash site.

"Photos and videos from the crash site clearly suggest Russia's responsibility for this tragedy," Zelenskyy said.

He also urged the international community to remain vigilant against disinformation.

"If Russia continues to spread falsehoods, as it did in the case of MH17, it will be necessary to consolidate all international pressure on Moscow to establish the truth and ensure that those responsible are held accountable," Zelenskyy added.

Earlier, Azerbaijan Airlines announced that preliminary findings from the investigation into the crash of a Russia-bound passenger plane indicate “physical and technical external interference.”

On the same day, the surviving flight attendant of the Embraer E-190 aircraft from Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), Zulfuqar Asadov, revealed that during the flight to Grozny, an emergency situation on board the aircraft occurred even before the emergency landing.