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Offering an Apology Without Responsibility

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received an apology from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday for the 38 lives lost in the crash of an Azerbaijani airplane in Kazakhstan. Despite claims that Russian air defenses brought down the aircraft, Putin refused to acknowledge Moscow’s involvement.

Although air defense systems were operational close to Grozny airport at the time of the disaster, a Kremlin statement did not confirm if they actually hit the aircraft. Putin said a criminal probe was in progress and apologized for the tragedy in Russian airspace. Prosecutors from Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan have joined the inquiry.

The Specifics of the Crash

After having trouble landing, the plane, which was traveling from Baku to Grozny, changed course to Aktau in Kazakhstan. During a landing attempt, it crashed, leaving 29 survivors. Without specifically pointing the finger at Russian defenses, Azerbaijani President Aliyev pointed out indications of “external physical and technical interference,” including holes in the fuselage.

While Azerbaijani Airlines blamed the incident on “interference” and halted flights to Russian airports, survivors reported hearing loud noises throughout the flight.

Differing Accounts

The area was closed to air travel due to Ukrainian drones targeting Grozny, according to the Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia. They said that following unsuccessful landing attempts at Grozny, the aircraft was given further options. Rosaviatsia has previously suggested a bird strike as a possible reason.

The jet may have been brought down by Russian air defenses in response to the drone threat, according to aviation experts and U.S. officials.

Global and Historical Background

This incident brings to mind the 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 disaster, in which 298 people were killed when a Russian missile brought down a civilian aircraft over eastern Ukraine. People connected to the incident were found guilty by a Dutch court, despite Russian protestations.

While other airlines, such as Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air and Turkmenistan Airlines, have lowered service to Russia due to safety concerns, Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to more Russian cities.

Worldwide Responses

In his brief remarks, President Joe Biden noted that Putin seemed to accept some of the blame. Amid increasing geopolitical tensions, international airlines, such as Israel’s El Al, have voiced worries about operating in Russian airspace, further isolating Moscow.

As international attention grows on Russia’s possible involvement in this most recent aviation disaster, the probe is still ongoing.

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Source : apnews

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