Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has authorized the allocation of $2 million from the presidential reserve fund to the Energy Ministry for the provision of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The funds will be used to procure and deliver Azerbaijani-made electrical equipment, a response to recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and Azerbaijani-linked facilities. Following these attacks, including strikes on a SOCAR depot and a gas distribution station, President Zelensky and Aliyev discussed energy cooperation. While maintaining a policy of not supplying lethal aid, Azerbaijan has previously offered substantial humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
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President Aliyev, meeting with families of victims and survivors of the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash, stated that the investigation’s initial findings place blame for the tragedy on Russian Federation representatives. He asserted Azerbaijan’s demand for justice, punishment of those responsible, and full transparency in the process. While withholding full details of the ongoing criminal case, the president emphasized the Azerbaijani government’s commitment to accountability. This demand for justice stems from the loss of Azerbaijani lives in this disaster.
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Following the downing of an Azerbaijani aircraft in Russia, President Aliyev publicly accused Russia of a cover-up, citing initially implausible explanations for the crash. He demanded accountability and punishment for those responsible, after four sources confirmed the plane was mistakenly shot down by Russian air defenses. While Russia opened a criminal investigation and initiated a joint inquiry, President Putin offered a rare apology, marking the closest Moscow has come to admitting culpability.
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Following the December 25th crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan, which killed 38, President Aliyev demanded a formal apology, admission of guilt, prosecution of those responsible, and compensation from Russia. While Russian President Putin offered an apology for the “tragic incident,” he did not concede Russian guilt. Azerbaijan Airlines attributed the crash to external physical and technical factors. Aliyev’s demands represent Azerbaijan’s pursuit of accountability for the incident.
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John Q. Hosedrinker