Azerbaijan Airlines Crash: Tensions Rise as Kremlin Denies Responsibility

The Kremlin has declined to acknowledge that Russian forces accidentally shot down an Azerbaijani passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on December 25, killing 38 people. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Russia of being responsible for the incident, stating the plane was struck “from the ground” over Grozny, Russia, where it was scheduled to land.

Aliyev has expressed frustration over Moscow's handling of the situation, urging for accountability and an objective investigation into the crash. He criticized the Russian government's failure to accept responsibility, emphasizing that initial air defense measures in Grozny were only announced after the plane had already been hit.

In response to the incident, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian specialists are cooperating with ongoing investigations and mentioned that President Vladimir Putin had personally contacted Aliyev following the disaster. However, Putin’s account did not include any admission of guilt regarding the incident.

Azerbaijan has reported early findings suggesting that the plane was hit by a Russian air defense missile, raising tensions between the two countries. The situation continues to develop as both nations await results from the ongoing investigations.