**Azerbaijan to Take Russia to International Courts Over Downed Plane**
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has announced that his country is preparing to submit documents to international courts over the crash of an Azerbaijani Airlines aircraft in Kazakhstan. The plane, an Embraer 190AR, crashed on December 25 after coming under fire while flying over Grozny, Chechnya. Unfortunately, 38 people lost their lives in the tragedy.
**Russia Blamed for Crash**
Azerbaijan’s authorities have already laid blame on Russia for the crash, with an investigation pointing to a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system mistakenly targeting the plane amid a reported Ukrainian drone attack. Despite seven months passing since the incident, Azerbaijan has yet to receive a clear response from Russian authorities.
**Aliyev Frustrated with Lack of Progress**
President Aliyev expressed frustration with Russia’s lack of progress in investigating the crash. He noted that it took over 10 years for justice to be served in the case of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, which was shot down by Russian-controlled forces over Ukraine in 2014. “We understand that this may take time,” Aliyev said. “But justice must be done.”
**Similarities with MH17 Crash**
The crash of the Azerbaijani plane shares some disturbing similarities with the downing of Flight MH17. In both cases, a civilian aircraft was mistakenly targeted by a surface-to-air missile system. The fact that Russia is still investigating the crash, and not taking responsibility, has led to tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia.
**Public Clash Between Azerbaijan and Russia**
The crash of the Azerbaijani plane has led to a public clash between Azerbaijan and Russia, which are otherwise close politically and economically. President Aliyev has accused Moscow of suppressing evidence and criticized his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for not openly admitting guilt. While Putin offered condolences, he stopped short of acknowledging Russian responsibility.
**Azerbaijan to Pursue International Lawsuits**
In light of the lack of progress in the investigation, Azerbaijan is now preparing to submit documents to international courts over the crash. This move comes as no surprise, given the similar circumstances surrounding the downing of Flight MH17. As President Aliyev said, “Justice must be done.”
