By means of The Related Press
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev mentioned Sunday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed ultimate week used to be shot down through Russia, albeit accidentally, and criticized Moscow for seeking to “hush up” the problem for days.
“We will say with entire readability that the airplane used to be shot down through Russia. (…) We aren’t announcing that it used to be finished deliberately, nevertheless it used to be finished,” he advised Azerbaijani state tv.
Aliyev mentioned that the airliner, which crashed Wednesday in Kazakhstan, used to be hit through hearth from the bottom over Russia and “rendered uncontrollable through digital battle.” Aliyev accused Russia of seeking to “hush up” the problem for a number of days, announcing he used to be “disillusioned and stunned” through variations of occasions put ahead through Russian officers.
“Sadly, for the primary 3 days we heard not anything from Russia aside from delirious variations,” he mentioned.
The crash killed 38 of 67 other folks on board. The Kremlin mentioned that air protection methods 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 3 calls for to Russia in reference to the crash.
“First, the Russian facet should say sorry to Azerbaijan. 2nd, it should admit its guilt. 3rd, punish the in charge, deliver them to felony accountability and pay repayment to the Azerbaijani state, the injured passengers and workforce contributors,” he mentioned.
Aliyev famous that the primary call for used to be “already fulfilled” when Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to him on Saturday. Putin referred to as the crash a “tragic incident” despite the fact that stopped wanting acknowledging Moscow’s accountability.
He mentioned that an investigation into the crash used to be ongoing, and that “the general model (of occasions) shall be identified after the black bins are opened.”
He famous that Azerbaijan used to be at all times “in choose of a gaggle of global mavens” investigating the crash, and had “categorically refused” Russia’s advice that the Interstate Aviation Committee, which oversees civil aviation within the Commonwealth of Impartial States, examine it.
“It’s no secret that this group is composed most commonly of Russian officers and is headed through Russian electorate. The criteria of objectivity may just no longer be totally ensured right here,” Aliyev mentioned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised Russian state media on Sunday that Putin had spoken to Aliyev over the telephone once more, however didn’t supply main points of the dialog.
The Kremlin additionally mentioned a joint investigation through Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan used to be underway on the crash website close to the town of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The airplane used to be flying from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to Grozny when it became towards Kazakhstan, loads of kilometers (miles) around the Caspian Sea from its meant vacation spot, and crashed whilst attempting to land.
Passengers and workforce who survived the crash advised Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises at the airplane because it used to be circling over Grozny.
Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, mentioned Friday that because the airplane used to be making ready to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones have been concentrated on the town, prompting government to near the world to air site visitors.
The crash is the second one fatal civil aviation twist of fate connected to preventing in Ukraine. Malaysia Airways Flight 17 used to be downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 other folks aboard, because it flew over the world in jap Ukraine managed through Moscow-backed separatists in 2014.
Russia has denied accountability, however a Dutch courtroom in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian guy for his or her position in downing the airplane with an air protection gadget introduced into Ukraine from a Russian army base.
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Related Press author Aida Sultanova in London contributed to this file.
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