Dec. 28 (UPI) — Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the deadly Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crash on Christmas but did not take responsibility for causing it as an investigation continues into the matter.
“During the conversation, Vladimir Putin expressed his apologies for the tragic incident” that occurred after the plane “was subjected to external physical and technical interference in Russian airspace,” Aliyev said in an online message.
“Multiple holes in the aircraft fuselage, injuries to passengers and equipment due to foreign debris that entered the cabin mid-flight, and testimonies from flight attendants and surviving passengers are evidence of “physical and technical interference external,” he said.
Putin and Aliyev agreed that a “thorough and thorough investigation of all main points of the tragedy” will be carried out to ensure that “those guilty are held accountable. “
The Azerbaijani plane “was flying as planned and was continually trying to land at Grozny airport,” Putin said in an online message on Saturday.
“Unmanned aerial combat vehicles attacked Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz,” Putin said. “Russian air defense systems were repelling those attacks. “
Putin said the Russian investigative commission had opened criminal proceedings in the case and that Russian investigators were working in Grozny, as well as those from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on the crash at Aktau airport in Kazakhstan.
While Putin said Grozny was under attack by Ukrainian drones when the Azerbaijan Airlines plane tried to land, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday blamed Russia for the deadly crash in a post on X.
After expressing condolences to Azerbaijan officials, Sybiha said a Russian anti-aircraft system caused the deadly crash.
Sybiha described the photographs and videos of the plane’s cockpit as “irrefutable evidence” that seems to indicate that a Russian anti-aircraft missile hit the plane.
“We call for a fair and independent investigation to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” Sybiha said in a subsequent message. “We will have to not let Russia lie, avoid shifting blame after blame. “
U. S. National Security Advisor John Kirthrough said Friday that it appears Russian anti-aircraft planes were responsible for the crash, but said it was vital to wait for a joint investigation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to conclude.
“We do have … some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems,” Kirby told media on Friday.
“There is an ongoing investigation at this time,” Kirby added. “We offered our assistance to this investigation if they needed it [or] sought it. “
The plane was flying from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, on Wednesday morning when it encountered problems with its system.
The first explanations indicated that the plane had been hijacked for meteorological reasons and warned that a bird strike could have broken it before the accident.