Investigation into the Crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed regret to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the tragic incident involving the Azerbaijan Airlines commercial plane that crashed in Russian airspace on Wednesday.
Putin emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough and transparent investigation into the accident, which claimed the lives of 38 passengers. Experts from the United States and other Western countries have suggested that the crash may have been caused by a Russian anti-aircraft missile.
Circumstances Surrounding the Crash
The Embraer 190 plane, manufactured in Brazil, was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic in Russia, with 67 people on board. However, the plane deviated from its intended route and crashed near Aktau, a port city in western Kazakhstan.
According to Putin, the plane attempted to land at Grozny airport, but the area was under attack by Ukrainian combat drones at the time. The Russian air defense system was active, repelling the attacks.
Response from Azerbaijani President
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev acknowledged that the plane was hit by “external physical interference,” lending credibility to the theory that a Russian missile may have accidentally shot down the plane. However, Aliyev refrained from directly accusing Russia, with which Azerbaijan maintains close ties.