Russia has stopped short of admitting responsibility for the plane crash in December (Image: Getty)
is facing a rare diplomatic revolt from a former Soviet state which is pressing to haul the Kremlin to court over an air disaster which killed 38 people on Christmas Day.
Investigations suggest the Azerbaijan Airlines which plummeted to the ground on near the city of Aktai, Kazakhstan, had to reroute over the Caspian Sea from southern after being hit by “external interference”.
believe the plane crash, which 29 people miraculously survived, was caused by air defence systems engaging with the aircraft over the territory of Chechnya.
In a statement released by the Kremlin after the crash, it was said President Putin apologised to Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev by phone. However, is still yet to officially admit real responsibility for the “tragic incident”.
The statement said: “(President) apologised that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.”
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The Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed on December 25 after encountering ‘external interference’ (Image: Getty )
Now reports the Azerbaijani Press Agency (APA) reports that the government in the capital Baku is preparing to appeal to “an international court” over what it sees as ‘s downing of the commercial airliner.
Azerbaijan declared independence from in 1991 after more than 70 years of Soviet rule, but like many former members of the USSR relations between the two countries have remained extremely friendly.
The country is home to 10.3 million people and lies in the South Caucasus region straddling both the continents of Asia and Europe.
Despite being dwarfed by in terms of size, Azerbaijan is home to vast natural resources including oil and gas, which Moscow is keen to access amid international trade sanctions sparked by the illegal invasion of .
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Putin issued a statement apologising for the “tragic incident” but did not accept responsibility (Image: Getty )
But friendly relations between and Azerbaijan giving Kremlin access to vital resources now look under threat, as the APA report stated: “Facts and evidence are being collected, and preparations are under way to appeal to an international court”
The report added that Moscow was attempting to “evade responsibility” and that the identity of those who gave the order to fire on the plane is known to Azerbaijani authorities.
The article continued that unless Moscow admitted guilt and responsibilty for the air crash, then Baku would take further steps.
Western air experts have said it’s likely the Azerbaijani jet was shot at from , but the Kremlin has continued to say it is too early to draw conclusions.
A source in Azerbaijan told the Guardian: “We would have expected to publicly take responsibility for shooting down the plane and compensate the victims,” said a source in the Azerbaijani foreign policy establishment who asked for anonymity so he could speak freely.
“Instead, just ignores the crash, hoping it would go away. It is condescending, they are looking down on us.”
In a remarkable move Baku has also sent a first shipment of non-military aid to ‘s enemy , in a move that will further raise eyebrows in Moscow.