Azerbaijan Demands Accountability for Crashed Airliner

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has demanded that Russia acknowledge responsibility for the Christmas Day plane crash that killed 38 people, asserting that the Azerbaijani jet was damaged by gunfire from the ground while in Russian airspace. In a recent statement, Aliyev claimed the plane suffered external damage due to shelling and was affected by electronic jamming, leading to its loss of control. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the incident, which he described as a tragic accident, while maintaining that Russian air defenses were responding to Ukrainian drone attacks at the time. Aliyev reiterated the demand for compensation and accountability from Russia, stating that the plane was unintentionally shot down. The Azerbaijani government is conducting its own investigation, with preliminary findings suggesting the involvement of a Russian surface-to-air missile. Both nations have initiated investigations, and calls for an independent inquiry have emerged, particularly from Ukrainian officials.