Aliyev Says Russia Shot Down Plane Killing 38, Demands Admission of Guilt

Dec 29, 2024, 02:46 PM

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has accused Russia of unintentionally shooting down an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 passenger plane that crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, killing 38 people. Aliyev demanded that Moscow admit guilt, punish those responsible, and pay compensation to the victims. He criticized Russian authorities for attempting to conceal the true cause of the disaster, alleging that some in Russia lied about it. The plane was reportedly damaged by shooting from the ground while flying over Russian territory before crashing. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier apologized to Aliyev for the tragedy.