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Agence France-Presse

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Sunday demanded that Russia admit that it fired at an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet before it crashed, accusing Moscow of initially trying to cover up the cause of the fatal disaster.
Aliyev made the accusation in an interview to state media at Baku airport four days after the AZAL Embraer 190 plane crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.
Azerbaijani officials have suggested the aircraft was hit by a Russian air-defence system as it tried to land in Grozny, capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya.
The transport ministry in Kazakhstan on Sunday said the plane’s black box would be sent for analysis to Brazil, which manufactures the Embraer plane.
Aliyev’s unusually forthright accusation of his country’s traditional ally came a day after he spoke by telephone to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A Kremlin statement about the phone call gave no indication that Putin had claimed responsibility for the crash.
“The facts are that the Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory, near the city of Grozny, and almost lost control,” Aliyev told state television.
“We also know that electronic warfare systems put our plane out of control … At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged,” he said.

Aliyev said that while “our plane was hit by accident”, Baku was angry that Moscow had apparently tried to hide the cause of the crash and demanded its ally admit responsibility.
He said it was “regrettable and surprising” that Moscow “put forward theories” that, he said, “clearly showed the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue”.
“For the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except some absurd theories,” he said, adding that these included the plane hitting a flock of birds.
He called the theory “completely removed” from reality, pointing out that the plane’s “fuselage is riddled with holes”.
Russia has said Grozny was being attacked by Ukrainian drones the day that the AZAL flight tried to land.
Aliyev urged Moscow to issue a public apology to his country, saying Baku had made official “demands” to Russia two days ago.
“First, the Russian side must apologise to Azerbaijan.
“Second, it must acknowledge its guilt.
“Third, those responsible must be punished, brought to criminal responsibility, and compensation must be paid to the Azerbaijani state, as well as to the injured passengers and crew members.
“These are our conditions,” Aliyev said, in unusually strong language directed at Moscow.


The Kremlin on Saturday said that during their phone conversation, Putin had apologised to Azerbaijan over the “tragic incident”.
Putin said Russian air defence was operating in Grozny on December 25 when the plane tried to land, before diverting and crashing in western Kazakhstan.
The Kremlin statement gave no indication that Putin had said Russia was at fault. Later on Saturday, the Russian leader called for a “transparent” investigation into the crash.
Aliyev’s office on Saturday said that he had “emphasised” during the call that the plane had been subject to outside interference over Russia.
Russian news agencies reported that Putin and Aliyev discussed the crash again on Sunday.
The United States this week said that it had “early indications” that Russia was responsible for the crash but did not provide details.
The European Union on Saturday called for a “swift” and “independent” investigation into the crash.


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Workers remove coffins of victims from a plane at Heydar Aliyev International Airport outside Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday after the Azerbaijan Airlines crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Photo: AP

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and his wife Mehriban Aliyeva attend a memorial for crew members who died in Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, at Heydar Aliyev International Airport outside Baku, Azerbaijan on Sunday. Photo: Official website of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan / Handout via Reuters

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Photo: Pool via Reuters / File Photo

Emergency specialists examine the crash site of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243. Photo: Reuters

A man places a photo of 13-year-old Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer passenger plane crash, at his grave in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

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Rescuers carrying a passenger wounded in a Azerbaijan Airline plane crash in Kazakhstan, arrive with a medical plane at an airport outside Baku. Photo: EPA-EFE

A passenger of the Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer plane is transported on a stretcher into an ambulance upon the arrival at an airport in Baku. Photo: Reuters

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Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the western Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday. Photo: AFP / Getty Images / TNS

A group of surviving passengers of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 before departing for Baku at Aktau airport in Kazakhstan on Thursday. Photo: Administration of the Mangystau Region via AP

An image from video shows the crash landing of Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 on the ground near Aktau airport, Kazakhstan on Thursday. Photo: Kazakhstan Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP

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A rescuer searches at the wreckage of the crashed Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 26. Photo: Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP

Flight attendant Zulfugar Asadov receives treatment at a hospital in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Reuters

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Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines jet near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS


The wreckage of the crashed plane. Photo: Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP

News

World

Russia & Central Asia

Ilham Aliyev accused Moscow of initially trying to cover up cause of the fatal disaster that killed 38 of the 67 people on board


Ilham Aliyev accused Moscow of initially trying to cover up cause of the fatal disaster that killed 38 of the 67 people on board.
