Kremlin responds to accusations of crashing Azerbaijan Airlines plane

According to early reports, the missile was launched during drone activity over Grozny and exploded near the airliner, with fragments striking the aircraft and resulting in the deaths of passengers and crew.

Azerbaijan demands apology from Russia

Rasim Musabayov, a member of the Azerbaijani parliament's international relations committee, said in an interview with Turan news agency that an Embraer E190AR passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines was shot down in the sky over Grozny.

According to him, Russia is attempting to cover up evidence related to the plane crash. However, Musabayov emphasized that the Russian side should instead issue an apology.

“The plane was shot down on the territory of Russia, in the skies of Grozny. It is impossible to deny this. Those who did it must be held criminally responsible and compensation must be paid. If this does not happen, then, of course, relations will move to another level,” Musabayov added.

Kremlin's response 

Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin had seen Rasim Musabayov’s statement that the plane that crashed in Aktau was shot down by Russian air defense, Medusa reports. At the same time, Peskov emphasized that he had “nothing to add to what he has already said.”

“The investigation into this aviation incident is ongoing, and until the conclusions are drawn from the investigation, we do not believe we have the right to make any assessments, and we will not do so. We have our aviation authorities who can do this, and this information can only come from them,” Putin's spokesman added. 

• On the morning of December 25, a passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan's Aktau. It was traveling from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny, Russia. The crash claimed the lives of 38 people. According to the Center for Strategic Communications of Ukraine, the plane was struck by a Russian air defense missile system.