In a harsh condemnation that indicated a reversal of the power dynamics that had long seen Moscow maintain control over its former Soviet republics, Azerbaijan’s president has reportedly now accused Russia of attempting to conceal its involvement in a plane disaster that resulted in the deaths of 38 individuals.
On Sunday, President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan had presented the Kremlin with the requisite conditions to be satisfied.
The country is requesting that Russia accept responsibility for the crash, provide compensation to the country and the families of the victims, and bring those responsible for the plane crash to justice.
In a phone call on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his regret to the Azeri leader for the “tragic incident” that transpired in Russian airspace.
Aliyev stated on Sunday that the contrition was inadequate. A second conversation between the two leaders occurred on Sunday.
These recriminations are indicative of one of the most significant disputes between Russia and the leaders of former Soviet territories, whom it previously regarded as mere subordinates in its strategic backyard.
The dispute serves as an illustration of Moscow’s diminishing influence and power in the region subsequent to its invasion of Ukraine.
The deference and diplomacy that have long characterized Azerbaijan’s relations with Russia were absent from Aliyev’s remarks on Sunday.
He stated that the accident was the result of Russian electronic interference and ground fire, and that the Russian authorities’ explanations, which blamed a flock of birds and an exploding gas cylinder, were “foolish and dishonest.”
Azerbaijan’s preliminary inquiry into the crash has revealed that a missile from a Russian air-defense system struck the Embraer 190 aircraft and that Russian authorities diverted it from Russian airspace, according to individuals who were informed of the situation.
Aliyev stated on Sunday that Azerbaijan was conducting an inquiry into the possibility that the aircraft was deliberately diverted by Russia with the intention of causing it to crash into the Caspian Sea, as it was already flying uncontrollably.
The Azeri leader commended the pilots for their ability to navigate the aircraft despite the fact that they encountered what aviation specialists believed to be puncture holes in the vertical stabilizer.
For more than an hour, the crew engaged in a battle to sustain altitude and speed, causing the aircraft to rise and fall by as much as 8,000 feet on numerous occasions.
The aircraft plummeted in the western Kazakhstan city of Aktau; 29 passengers and crew members survived.
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