Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev asserted on Sunday that the recent crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft was the result of an unintentional missile strike by Russian forces.

Aliyev criticized Russia for its alleged desire to cover up the incident, claiming that Moscow delayed acknowledgement of its involvement for several days, further expressing shock at the fact that the plane was shot down by a country that is friendly to Azerbaijan. Aliyev articulated three specific demands to Russia: a public apology, acknowledgement of guilt regarding the incident, and accountability through the punishment of those responsible, along with compensation for affected families. 

This address follows the December 25 Azerbaijan Airlines crash when Flight 8243, en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, resulting in the deaths of 38 out of 67 people on board. Subsequently, Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev for the incident, referring to it as a “tragic occurrence.” However, Putin refrained from directly accepting responsibility for the crash. The Kremlin stated that air defense systems were engaged near Grozny due to Ukrainian drone strikes at the time of the incident, but did not confirm that one of these systems hit the plane.

The crash has raised concerns regarding air travel safety in the region. Initial investigations indicated that the aircraft experienced “physical and technical external interference,” leading to speculation about potential Russian military involvement. Several reports suggested that a Russian surface-to-air missile may have been fired during drone activity over Grozny, with shrapnel hitting the plane mid-flight.

As the investigation unfolds, both authorities are under pressure to clarify the circumstances surrounding the crash. Survivors reported hearing multiple loud bangs before the aircraft went down, contradicting earlier assertions that a bird strike was responsible for the incident. In response to safety concerns, Azerbaijan Airlines has temporarily suspended flights from Baku to several Russian cities and announced compensation plans for victims’ families.

The fallout from the crash highlights ongoing tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia. The two nations share a complex history of both cooperation and conflict, particularly concerning regional security issues. The Azerbaijani government has expressed frustration over Russia’s handling of the situation and its reluctance to accept responsibility for actions that led to civilian deaths.