The Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on December 25, killing 38 of the 67 people onboard, was damaged by gunfire from the ground while flying over Russian territory, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev alleged on Sunday. He called on Moscow to acknowledge its role in the incident and take responsibility for what he described as a "tragic accident."

Speaking during a televised address, Aliyev accused some factions in Russia of attempting to cover up the true cause of the crash by spreading misleading narratives. "The Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside near Grozny in Russia, almost losing control," he stated, according to state media Azertag.

Aliyev detailed that the aircraft was affected by "electronic warfare systems" and sustained severe damage to its tail from ground fire. However, he clarified, "This was, of course, an accident and not a deliberate act of terror." He added that Russia should have "apologized in a timely manner" and been transparent about the incident, as Azerbaijan considers Russia a friendly nation.

The crash occurred after the passenger jet reportedly struggled to maintain control over Russian airspace near Grozny, Chechnya, before crashing in western Kazakhstan. Survivors had previously reported hearing three explosions as the plane flew over Grozny, according to Azerbaijan's Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev.

President Vladimir Putin offered an apology to Aliyev over the "tragic incident" during a phone call on Saturday, according to the Kremlin. However, Moscow denied that Russian air defenses were directly responsible for downing the plane. Putin did confirm that Russian forces were active in the area that day, responding to an alleged drone attack from Ukraine targeting Grozny.

Aliyev’s office released a statement reiterating Azerbaijan's position that the plane suffered "external interference" in Russian airspace, leading to a complete loss of control. Baku also demanded a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible.

This incident marks one of the most significant aviation tragedies involving Azerbaijani civil aviation and has raised concerns about safety in contested airspace amid ongoing regional tensions.