On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 jet crash-landed in Kazakhstan, resulting in the tragic loss of 38 lives out of the 67 people on board. The jet had been diverted from its scheduled landing in Grozny, a city in southern Russia. The incident occurred as the aircraft was navigating Russian airspace, which Moscow later admitted had operational air defences at the time. Russia has claimed these air defences were responding to threats from Ukrainian drones, but has not taken responsibility for the downing of the plane.
Azerbaijan has accused Russia of being directly responsible for the downing of the plane. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan stated that the death of Azerbaijani citizens was the fault of Russian authorities. He demanded an apology and called for accountability, accusing Russia of concealing the causes of the crash and presenting false versions of the event. Aliyev also criticized Russia for not informing the plane’s captain about potential dangers to airspace before the incident occurred.
Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the incident but stopped short of accepting blame for the downing of the plane. While Russia has admitted that its air defences were active in the region, it has not confirmed that Russian weapons were involved in hitting the aircraft. A criminal investigation has been opened by Russian authorities, although no official conclusions have been drawn.
Azerbaijan’s Investigation and Reactions
Preliminary findings from Azerbaijan’s investigation suggest that the plane was accidentally struck by a Russian missile fired from the ground. The incident has raised questions about why the plane was diverted so far from its original course to Kazakhstan, with Aliyev demanding clarification from Russia on why the plane was sent to Aktau, hundreds of kilometers away, for an emergency landing.
This incident has led to growing diplomatic tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia, which have previously shared close relations. Aliyev’s outspoken criticism and demand for justice are seen as a rare and firm stance against Moscow. The diplomatic fallout is expected to continue as Azerbaijan awaits further clarification from Russia, especially regarding the handling of the air defence measures and the circumstances surrounding the plane’s diversion.
Next Steps in Investigation
As the investigations continue, the black boxes of the plane have been sent to Brazil for analysis, which may offer more insight into the cause of the crash. While Russia has opened its own investigation, it has not yet agreed with Azerbaijan’s assessment of the incident, leaving the issue unresolved for now.
The tragic downing of the Azerbaijan Airlines jet has led to heated exchanges between Azerbaijan and Russia, with Azerbaijan holding Russia responsible for the deaths and demanding accountability. As both countries continue their investigations, the international community awaits further updates on the causes and implications of this incident.
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