Two weeks after the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J28243
, Russia still hasn’t claimed responsibility for the tragic incident despite growing pressure from Azerbaijan. While the investigation is still ongoing, the crash has left the public and families of the victims demanding answers from Russia.
Waiting for investigation results
The Kremlin has declined to state that Russian forces were responsible for downing the Azerbaijan Airlines
Embraer 190 on December 25, 2024. Russia acknowledged that its air defense systems were active at the time of the incident to shoot down Ukrainian drones but has stopped short of saying it brought down the aircraft.
Instead, it reiterated its interest in an objective investigation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said,
“We are interested in an absolutely objective and impartial investigation in order to establish the causes of this catastrophe.”
According to Russian news outlet OREANDA-NEWS, the spokesperson also noted that Russia issued necessary instructions to investigative authorities and is assisting and cooperating with investigators to determine the cause of the crash. He added that since December 25, Putin and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev have spoken twice over the phone.
As reported by CNN, President Ilham Aliyev met with the two surviving flight attendants and the families of the late crew members and disclosed that the preliminary investigation into the crash confirms that Russian air defenses hit the aircraft. Aliyev alleged that the airspace over Grozny was only closed after the AZAL plane was hit.
Accusations of a cover-up
Aliyev has been a close ally of Moscow, but the crash and Russia’s handling of it have soured relations. The Azerbaijani head of state accused Russia of a cover-up, stating that the concealment of the causes and false account of events caused “justifiable anger.”
President Aliyev continues to criticize Moscow over the handling of the incident and is demanding an apology, an admission of guilt, and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
He added that guilt for the 38 fatalities lies with Russia
, saying,
“I can confidently say that the guilt for the deaths of Azerbaijani citizens in this accident lies with the representatives of the Russian Federation. We demand justice, we demand punishment of the guilty, we demand complete transparency and humane treatment.”
Aliyev also questioned why the aircraft was forced to divert to Aktau, over 230 NM (425 km) from Grozny, for an emergency landing. About three days after the crash,
Putin apologized for the “tragic incident”
and noted that a criminal case had been opened. This was the closest the Kremlin came to accepting responsibility.
The aircraft’s black boxes were recovered from the crash site and sent to Brazil for data extraction and analysis. The Astana Times reports that some accident investigators are expected to arrive in Kazakhstan in the coming days.
“I am sure that in the near future we will learn the initial results, and everything will fall into place. The whole picture of the tragedy that occurred will also become known. Of course, this will be an important moment in the full investigation of the tragedy and the punishment of its perpetrators,” Aliyev added.
Related
Azerbaijan Airlines Crash: Investigators Begin Analyzing Black Boxes In Brazil
Initial findings suggest that the airliner was likely struck by fire from Russian air defense systems.
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432
On December 25, the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190
was operating Flight 8432 from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, the capital of the Russian Republic of Chechnya. However, while approaching Grozny, the aircraft was struck by what is believed to be a Russian anti-aircraft missile, which the Federation admitted were firing at Ukrainian combat drones.
Photo: Nickolastock | Shutterstock
The aircraft was forced to divert to Aktau, Kazakhstan and
crashed near the airport after miraculously making it across the Caspian Sea
. The crash killed 38 of the 67 occupants onboard, including both pilots and one flight attendant. Passengers reported hearing an explosion and shrapnel striking the aircraft.
Videos soon emerged showing multiple holes in the aircraft’s tail section and objects piercing the cabin during the flight. Initial reports suggested the aircraft had suffered a bird strike, but the wreckage soon painted a different story. Azerbaijani investigators initially suggested that a missile from a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system had hit the aircraft.