Azerbaijan Demands Russia Take Responsibility for Plane Crash: "Apology Is Not Enough"
Baku, January 1: Tensions between Azerbaijan and Moscow could escalate following Russia's failure to admit responsibility for interfering with an aircraft's landing and the subsequent crash.
On December 25, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 departed from Baku for Grozny, Chechnya, with 67 passengers and crew on board. However, after entering Russian airspace, the plane was struck by a missile fired from the ground and diverted, eventually crashing in the Aktau area of Kazakhstan. The crash killed 38 people, while 29 survived.
Russian officials initially claimed that the crash was caused by a collision with a flock of birds or an explosion of the oxygen tank. However, evidence later revealed that Russia's defense systems, particularly its missiles, were involved in the incident.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed regret over the incident and suggested that Ukrainian drone activity in the area was involved, but did not directly accept responsibility on behalf of Russia. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has demanded formal acknowledgment of responsibility from Russia, along with compensation for the victims.
Lack of Humanity: Outrage Over Denied Landing Permission
Baku resident Leila said, "When the plane tried to land on Russian territory, they were denied permission. This is a severe lack of humanity, and no one can forgive this decision."
Azerbaijani officials claim that the refusal to allow an emergency landing by Russia forced the plane to head towards Kazakhstan. According to Leila, “Had Russia allowed the plane to land after acknowledging its mistake, many lives could have been saved.”
Impact on Russia-Azerbaijan Relations
Political analyst Farhad Mammadov believes that in 2020, Azerbaijani President Aliyev took responsibility for shooting down a Russian helicopter and paid compensation. "Azerbaijan now expects the same responsible behavior from Russia," Mammadov said.
However, in terms of economic relations, both countries are heavily interdependent. Azerbaijan is Russia's largest trading partner, and approximately one million Azerbaijanis live in Russia.
Political analyst Rasim Musabayev stated, "Putin should offer compensation and ensure that those responsible are punished. Azerbaijan does not want to worsen its relationship with Russia."
Experts believe that to quell the anger within Azerbaijan’s government and populace over this incident, it is crucial for Russia to take responsibility for the event.
