Russian President Vladimir Putin Expresses Sincere Sympathies Over Fatal Aircraft Accident, Leaving Fault Determination Unaddressed
Headline
Russian President Vladimir Putin Expresses Sincere Sympathies Over Fatal Aircraft Accident, Leaving Fault Determination Unaddressed
Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, put forth an apology for the catastrophic plane crash that occurred in Russian air space on Christmas Day, resulting in the demise of 38 individuals. In his statement, Putin stated that Russia was targeting Ukrainian drones over the plane's planned destination at the time, yet fell short of admitting culpability.
Imperative Points
Putin expressed his remorse for the calamity that took place within Russian airspace, as per a statement issued on Saturday, following Putin's conversation with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.
Subsequent to experts, including White House national security spokesman John Kirby, voicing their preliminary assessments suggesting the plane may have been brought down by military force, the Kremlin released the statement.
Putin acknowledged in the statement that the Russian military was engaging Ukrainian drones above Grozny, Russia, the plane's intended destination, at the time of the crash. However, he did not admit responsibility for bringing down the plane.
Russia has launched a criminal investigation into the crash, Putin stated.
Aside
Survivors of the crash, as reported by Reuters, asserted they could discern that the plane had been damaged due to the multiple piercing noises heard as the flight neared Grozny. A passenger, Subhonkul Rakhimov, described the aircraft as acting "drunk—not the same plane anymore."
Background Information
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 was bound for Grozny, Russia, from Baku, Azerbaijan, when the flight deviated from its route and crashed in Kazakhstan near the Akatau airport. Of the 62 passengers and five crew members, twenty-nine individuals managed to survive the flight. Initially, Russia attributed the attack to a collision with a bird, coupled with inclement weather conditions. However, Azerbaijan Airlines ascribed the incident to "physical and technical interference," and Azerbaijan's transportation minister, Rashad Nabiyev, suggested "external interference" with the flight. Kirby stated on Friday that the U.S. has uncovered some preliminary evidence suggesting the jet was struck down by Russian air defense systems. Nevertheless, he refrained from providing details and emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing. All three nations, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, have confirmed they will conduct separate probes into the incident.
Leading Critic
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pointed to evidence indicating Russia's involvement in the crash and has urged world leaders to hold Russia accountable. "Visual evidence at the crash site suggests Russia's culpability for the tragedy," Zelensky tweeted. He further added, "if Russia decides to disseminate falsehoods, similar to their approach in the #MH17 incident, we will need to mobilize all international pressure on Moscow to uncover the truth and ensure accountability," referring to the Malaysian Airlines flight downed a decade ago by a Russian missile en route over Ukraine, claiming all 298 lives on board.
Additional Reading
Azerbaijan Airlines Crash: What To Know As U.S. Official Suggests Russia Struck Down Flight (Our Website)
Azerbaijan Airlines expressed concerns about potential external interference in their flights, following the crash of Flight 8243, as stated by Azerbaijan's transportation minister, Rashad Nabiyev. In response to these concerns, White House national security spokesman John Kirby shared preliminary evidence suggesting that the jet might have been struck down by Russian air defense systems.