The United States has raised concerns that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed on December 25 may have been brought down by Russian air defense. John Kirby, the White House national security advisor, made this statement on Friday. He hinted at Russian involvement but chose not to provide further details.
U.S. Assessment Beyond Photographs
Kirby emphasized that the U.S. assessment went beyond just analyzing photographs of the damaged plane. According to The Washington Post, the U.S. gathered more evidence to form its conclusion. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Presidential spokesperson, Andriy Yermak, insisted that Russia must take responsibility for the incident.
Azerbaijan’s Preliminary Findings
Azerbaijan Airlines also released a statement on Friday. It said that initial investigations pointed to “physical and technical external interference,” but no specifics were given. Experts in Azerbaijan believe that the plane’s GPS was jammed electronically before being damaged by shrapnel from Russian air defense missile blasts, according to BBC.
Minister Reports External Interference
Azerbaijan’s Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev confirmed that the plane experienced “external interference.” He said the aircraft was damaged during its attempt to land in Chechnya. Survivors reported hearing three blast sounds when the plane passed over Grozny. The plane was rerouted to Kazakhstan, where it eventually crashed, killing 38 people. Investigators are now focusing on identifying the weapon or rocket involved.
Azerbaijan Hesitant to Blame Russia Directly
Although Azerbaijan has not openly blamed Russia, it has indicated potential Russian involvement. The government is cautious not to escalate tensions with President Vladimir Putin. Sources close to Azerbaijan’s government suggest that the country expects an apology from Russia, similar to the one offered in 2020 when a Russian helicopter was shot down during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Russia Denies Responsibility
Russia has refused to comment on the crash. The head of Russia’s civil aviation agency stated that the situation in Grozny was complicated and a closed-skies protocol had been implemented. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and Russia will refrain from making statements until its conclusions are made.
Ongoing Investigation and Cooperation
Authorities in Kazakhstan are currently treating the injured from the crash. They are working with Azerbaijan to investigate the cause of the incident. Political commentator Farhad Mammadov noted that Azerbaijan expects Russia to follow its 2020 example and offer an apology for this incident.
