President Aliyev on AZAL plane crash in Aktau: Azerbaijan preparing portfolio to apply to international judicial system

Azerbaijan has not received any answer from Russian officials regarding the crash of the Embraer 190 passenger aircraft belonging to CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL – ed.) near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with the participants of the 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum, according to Report.

"Unfortunately, we didn't get any answer from Russian officials though it has already been seven months. For us, everything is clear: we know what happened and we can prove it. And we know that Russian officials know what happened. And it's a question why they don't do what any neighbor would have done. Our requests or demands are absolutely natural - to admit this accident as their guilt, to punish those who shut down our plane, and to pay compensation to the families of victims, to those who've been wounded, and to AZAL, to compensate for the loss of plane," the head of state said.

The President noted that, fortunately, the pilots demonstrated the bravery, courage and professionalism.

"They managed to land the plane, so we didn't lose it. And as soon as we sent the team to Aktau to look at what happened, they immediately reported and filmed that the plane fuselage was full of holes. They have been two persons inside the plane who were injured by shrapnel, so the idea that it was the Ukrainian drone which possibly hit the plane was absolutely ridiculous. They have been two attacks on the plane. So, can you imagine the Ukrainian drone is coming, targeting the Azerbaijani plane, hits it, then falls down and then once again? So, this is the story for the kindergarten. We know what happened. Plus, the airspace of Russia was not shut down. Their airspace was shut down several minutes after the plane was hit. And this also is the responsibility of those who didn't announce this Kovyor operation. So, all that is clear as today's sky. But for seven months we have no answer. Our general prosecutor regularly sends a letter to the Russian Investigation Committee. But all the letters are answered that the investigation continues. So, we will wait when the investigation ends. But I think it is counterproductive to behave like that," the head of state said.

He noted that Azerbaijan will not forget it.

"We informed the Russian side that we are preparing a portfolio to apply to international judicial system with respect to that. We know that it will take time. Malaysian Boeing took more than ten years. So, we will wait for ten years. But the justice must be achieved and, unfortunately, this situation which now is in the air is not helpful for bilateral relations between Russia and Azerbaijan," the head of state said.