Zelensky expressed condolences to Azerbaijan following the plane crash, suggesting potential Russian responsibility.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, expressed his condolences to Azerbaijan following the horrific passenger plane disaster that occurred on December 25 in Kazakhstan. The President noted that there is evidence at the site of the tragedy indicating potential Russian responsibility. He also called for international pressure on Moscow to uncover the truth.

The aircraft of "Azerbaijan Airlines," which was flying from Baku to Grozny, crashed near Aktau, resulting in the death of 38 out of 67 people on board. In his post on Twitter (now X), Zelensky emphasized the importance of a thorough investigation into the disaster and added that every loss of life is invaluable and must be closely examined. He also mentioned that there are visual evidences at the crash site that may indicate Russia's responsibility for the tragedy, specifically referring to a surface-to-air missile fired at the plane.

"If Russia decides to spread lies just as it did in the case of MH17, we will need to consolidate all international pressure on Moscow to establish the truth and ensure accountability," Zelensky stressed.

The investigation revealed that the plane was struck by a Russian missile that was launched at the flight while it was flying over Grozny. Debris from the missile likely damaged the aircraft, leading to the tragedy. Significant traces of a surface-to-air missile strike were found on the fuselage. Therefore, no amount of fog, birds, or other conditions will allow Russia to justify this, no matter how much it wishes to.

Russia's Evasion of Responsibility

Instead, Russia continues to evade responsibility, claiming that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and currently has no plans to provide official assessments of the situation. The Kremlin refuses to apologize to Azerbaijan, instead attempting to shift the blame, sugesting possible Ukrainian involvement. Meanwhile, the Russian aviation authority is willing to cooperate in the investigation but emphasizes the challenging conditions of that day.

In the meantime, Azerbaijan has already decided to suspend flights of all its airlines from Baku to ten cities in Russia. Flights will be canceled starting Saturday, December 28. The reason for this action was the disaster of the Azerbaijani plane on December 25. Kazakhstan is also restricting flights to the Russian Federation.