Azerbaijan President Urges Accountability for Plane Crash

Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, has called on Russia to take responsibility for the Christmas Day plane crash, which resulted in significant casualties.

In an interview with the New York Times, Aliyev urged Moscow to apologize and compensate the victims’ families, stating, “We can clearly say today that the plane was shot down by Russia. First, the Russian side must apologise to Azerbaijan. Second, it must acknowledge its guilt. Third, those responsible must be punished.”

Aliyev also criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s apology, describing it as insufficient and unaccountable. He expressed concerns that the incident could strain relations between the two nations.

The tragic event involved Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243, which had departed from Baku, Azerbaijan, and was en route to Grozny, Russia. Due to thick fog, the flight was rerouted, but it caught fire during descent, resulting in a crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, a major oil and gas hub.

Of the 67 people on board, 38 were confirmed dead, with the majority of victims being Azerbaijani citizens. Investigations are ongoing, with international and local authorities working to determine the exact cause of the incident.