cross-posted from: beehaw.org/post/17822074
“Unfortunately, in the first three days we heard only absurd versions from Russia,” the Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev said. He added that he wanted Russia to accept it was guilty of downing the plane and to punish those responsible.
Russian President Vladimir Putin apologised on Saturday to Aliyev for Wednesday’s “tragic incident” in Russian airspace involving Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 after Russian air defences engaged Ukrainian attack drones.
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A Kremlin statement did not say Russia had shot down the plane, only noting a criminal case had been opened.
“Our plane was shot down by accident,” Aliyev said on state television on Sunday, adding that the plane had come under some sort of electronic jamming and had then been shot at while it was approaching the southern Russian city of Grozny.
The pilots, who died in the crash, have been lauded in Azerbaijan for a landing that allowed 29 people to survive.
“Unfortunately, in the first three days we heard only absurd versions from Russia,” Aliyev said, citing statements in Russia that attributed the crash to a bird strike or the explosion of some sort of gas cylinder.
“We witnessed clear attempts to cover up the matter,” said the Azerbaijani leader, who has close ties to Russia and was educated at one of Moscow’s top universities.
Aliyev said he wanted Russia to accept it was guilty of downing the plane and to punish those responsible.
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Azerbaijan paid tribute on Sunday to the pilots and passengers of the plane.
Captain Igor Kshnyakin and co-pilot Alexander Kalyaninov, both ethnic Russians with Azerbaijan citizenship, and Hokuma Aliyeva, a flight attendant, were given full honours at a ceremony at the Alley of Honour in central Baku attended by Aliyev and his wife, Mehriban.
“The pilots were experienced and knew they would not survive this crash landing,” Aliyev said, praising them for sacrificing themselves.
“In order to save the passengers, they acted with great heroism and as a result of this, there were survivors,” he said.
Aliyev awarded the crew posthumously with the titles of National Hero of Azerbaijan.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also awarded citizens who helped rescue the survivors, including emergency workers, medics, police and employees at the airport and a local power company.
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