Azerbaijan's Aliyev Blames Russia for Downing of AZAL Plane, 67 Killed Near Aktau

Jan 6, 2025, 11:13 AM

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused Russia of responsibility for the December 25 crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) Embraer E190 passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, which claimed 67 lives. Speaking at a meeting with the families of the victims, Aliyev stated that the deaths of Azerbaijani citizens "lie with representatives of the Russian Federation." He asserted that the tragedy could have been avoided if there had been proper coordination between Russia's military and civil services. The plane, en route from Baku to Grozny, is believed by Baku to have been shot down by Russian air defenses in Chechnya. Aliyev demanded "justice, accountability for those responsible, full transparency, and humane conduct." The black boxes have been sent to Brazil for analysis, and Azerbaijan promises to reveal more details upon completion of the investigation.