Kazakhstan Plane Crash: Azerbaijani MP Demands Apology from Russia
Web Desk: In the aftermath of the Azerbaijani plane crash in Kazakhstan, a member of Azerbaijan’s parliament has called for Russia to issue an apology.
Azerbaijani MP Rasim Musabayov stated that Russia must accept responsibility for the crash, take legal action against those accountable, and announce compensation for the victims.
On the other hand, Russian parliamentary spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that the investigation into the plane crash is ongoing. He emphasized that no comments can be made until the investigation is complete and that updates will only come from Russian aviation authorities.
The incident occurred on December 25 when an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane traveling from Baku to Grozny, Chechnya, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau. According to media reports, the plane became stranded near the village of Nikolaevskoye in Chechnya. Initially, the pilots believed the damage was caused by a bird strike. However, the flight commander later reported that a “carpet plan” had been activated in Grozny. A “carpet plan” is an emergency protocol that involves closing airspace due to unforeseen circumstances. At that point, a malfunction and a request to alter the flight path had already been reported.
Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, commented that Grozny was experiencing complex conditions on the day of the crash.
Russian media reported that three combat drones were intercepted on the morning of the crash. Azerbaijani officials claimed that two Pantsir air defense systems were deployed near Grozny Airport, suggesting that the passenger plane may have been mistakenly targeted by these systems.