Azerbaijan president accuses Russia of covering up 'senseless' plane crash, claims plane was 'shot down'
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has accused Russia of an “absurd” cover-up after its air defenses “shot down” a passenger jet last week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the “terrible incident” this weekend, but the Kremlin has not officially said that Russian jets shot down the plane. About 38 people died in this incident.
“Our plane was shot down by accident,” Aliyev told state television on Sunday. “Unfortunately, in the first three days we heard only nonsense versions from Russia.”
“We have seen clear attempts to cover up this issue,” he added.
AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES BLAMES DEADLY RESULT OF PLANE CRASH ON 'EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE' AS RUSSIA RISES GROWS
Evidence-gathering efforts are underway at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Dec. 27, 2024. (Meiramgul Kussainova/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A Kremlin statement said the incident occurred after Russian jets engaged Ukrainian jets, but did not say the Russian military had shot down the plane.
'NOT VERY CLEAR' WHAT HAPPENED IN AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES FALL, SAYS STATE DEPARTMENT
Aliyev is a close friend of Putin's regime, and the two held a phone call about Sunday's incident. Neither party has released details of their discussion.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev leaves a polling station in Khankendi, Azerbaijan. (Azerbaijani Press Office of the President via AP)
Crew members and survivors of the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 plane said they heard at least one loud noise before the plane crashed on Christmas Day.
AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES BLAMES DEADLY RESULT OF PLANE CRASH ON 'EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE' AS RUSSIA RISES GROWS
Subhonkul Rakhimov, one of the passengers on Flight J2-8243, told Reuters at the hospital that he had started saying prayers and preparing for the end after hearing the noise.
The plane was en route from Azerbaijan's capital Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus, the Associated Press reported. (Mangystau District Administration)
“After the explosion… I thought the plane was going to crash,” Rakhimov told the outlet. “It was obvious that the plane was damaged in some way. It was like it was drunk – it's not the same plane anymore.”
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Survivor passenger Vafa Shabanova said “there were two explosions in the sky, and after an hour and a half the plane fell to the ground.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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