Baku: The shooting down of an Azerbaijani civilian plane by Russia has resulted in significant frustration and disappointment in Azerbaijan, as stated by President Ilham Aliyev in a recent interview with Saudi Arabia's Al Arabiya TV channel.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, President Aliyev highlighted that the incident should not have occurred initially. He pointed out that during drone attacks on Russian airports, a special regime is typically announced, known as "carpet" in Russian ('kover'), which signals all planes to turn back. He noted that a similar situation occurred two weeks prior with another Azerbaijani plane that successfully returned after receiving the signal. However, in this instance, the warning was issued only after the plane was shot down, suggesting a possible attempt to mislead investigators.

President Aliyev praised the professionalism and courage of the pilots, which allowed the plane to land in Kazakhstan instead of Russia, despite being struck twice by a Russian air defense system. He confirmed that some passengers survived the crash, including two individuals who were injured by shrapnel. The Azerbaijani team swiftly arrived at the crash site, documenting evidence that included the fuselage riddled with holes from shrapnel. President Aliyev emphasized that the shooting down of the plane was a tragic mistake, underscoring the need for accountability and transparency in the investigation.