The Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan was damaged while in Russian territory. According to preliminary information, it was fired upon from the ground.
Points of attention
- An Azerbaijan Airlines plane was damaged in a plane crash in Kazakhstan and on the territory of the Russian Federation.
- The President of Azerbaijan stated the influence of Russian soil on the damage to the plane, trying to establish responsibility.
- Russian officials deny the versions of the cause of the disaster, which complicates the investigation and establishment of truthful information.
- A preliminary conclusion from Azerbaijani authorities points to a possible 'external influence' as the cause of the plane crash, which killed 38 people.
Aliyev announced new details of the plane crash in Kazakhstan
As stated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Embraer 190 aircraft that crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan suffered external damage while still in Russia, near the city of Grozny.
He also noted that the damage affected the aircraft's handling.
It is known that the Azerbaijani civilian aircraft was knocked out of control using electronic warfare equipment. This was the first stage of damage to the aircraft, the president emphasized.
Aliyev also added that the tail section of the plane was severely damaged by shelling from the ground.
The President of Azerbaijan called on Russia to take responsibility, punish the perpetrators, and pay compensation.
"It is surprising and saddening that Russian officials are trying to cover up the situation by putting forward versions of a gas cylinder explosion. Such behavior only complicates the situation and does not contribute to establishing the truth," Aliyev noted.
The final causes of the disaster will become known after the "black boxes" are deciphered.
Azerbaijani authorities have named the preliminary cause of the plane crash
On December 27, Azerbaijan Airlines and Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev named "external influence" as the preliminary cause of the plane crash in Kazakhstan.
According to their data, it was he who caused the damage to the aircraft.
The accident killed 38 people.
Passengers and flight attendants said they heard the sounds of explosions during the flight over Grozny, which may indicate an armed attack on the plane.
It is worth noting that the plane's crew did everything possible to make an optimal landing and save the lives of most of the people on board.
The day before, dictator Vladimir Putin apologized during a telephone conversation with Aliyev for "the tragic incident with the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that occurred in Russian airspace," but did not admit the Russians' guilt.
