Azerbaijan Airlines said "physical and technical external interference" was the cause of a crash this week that killed 38 people flying to southern Russia, the closest officials have come to confirming mounting suspicions that the plane was downed by a Russian air-defense system.
The head of Russia's aviation authority, however, countered the statement, saying the plane tried to land in Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region amid difficult conditions during a Ukrainian drone strike.
Russia hasn't responded to leaked preliminary findings of an Azeri investigation that point to the plane's being hit by a Russian antiaircraft missile or shrapnel from it.
The aftermath of the crash has struck a blow to relations between the former Soviet republics and led to an uproar in Azerbaijan, a small but increasingly powerful oil-producing country. The stateowned Azeri airline said it was suspending flights from Baku to eight Russian airports in the wake of the crash.
Bu hikaye The Wall Street Journal dergisinin December 28, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Wall Street Journal dergisinin December 28, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap