Christmas Day Plane Crash That Killed 38 People Was Caused by Russia, Azerbaijan's President Says

Azerbaijan has formally blamed Russia for the Christmas Day crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan, which killed 38 of the 67 people aboard.

According to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, the Embraer 190 aircraft was shot down by Russia. The motives of the incident remain unclear and Aliyev suggested it may have been accidental.

Aliyev said in a televised statement on Sunday, Dec. 29, "We can clearly say today that the plane was shot down by Russia. This is a fact, and no one can deny this fact. Again, we are not saying that this was done intentionally, but it was done."

He explained that the plane was struck by fire "from the ground" in Russia and "means of electronic warfare put our plane out of control." The fire was said to have "severely damaged" the tail of the plane.

"Unfortunately, for the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except for some absurd theories," Aliyev said.

The country has made three demands to Russia in the aftermath of the tragic event.

"First of all, the Russian side must apologize to Azerbaijan," Aliyev said. "Secondly, it must acknowledge its guilt. Thirdly, those responsible must be punished, brought to criminal responsibility, and compensation must be paid to the Azerbaijani state, to the injured passengers and crew members."

In a statement on Saturday, Dec. 28, Aliyev said Russian President Vladimir Putin called him and apologized. Putin also "extended his deepest and most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the crash."

In its own statement, the Kremlin said Putin "apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." But he has not said Russia was behind the crash.

According to CNN, Putin said Russia’s air defense systems were active, as a result of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, when the plane attempted to land at an airport in Grozny. When the plane was unable to reach its destination, it diverted and eventually crashed.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

The doomed Azerbaijan Airlines flight carried 67 people — including 62 passengers and five crew members. Based on preliminary information, the passengers included 37 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian citizens, six Kazakh citizens, and three Kyrgyz citizens, according to the airline.

Related: 61 People Killed in Passenger Plane Crash in Brazil That Was Caught on Video

Speaking to journalists in the aftermath of the Christmas Day incident, Azerbaijan Airlines' president, Samir Rzayev, credited the crew's actions for helping save 29 of the passengers.

"Unfortunately, two of our experienced pilots and one guide lost their lives in the accident,” Rzayev said, according to the Azerbaijani news agency Report and Business Insider. "Their heroism will never be forgotten."

Rzayev also said that the Embraer 190 underwent an overhaul in October, passed a technical inspection and the pilots had logged more than 15,000 flight hours.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

Related: 1 Dead, 1 Seriously Injured When Plane Crashes on N.Y. Highway: 'It's Hard to Imagine Him Not Being Here'

“While this tragic accident brought a significant loss to our nation," Rzayev said, "the crew's valiant dedication to their duties until the last moment and their prioritization of human life have immortalized their names in history.”

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev separately commented on the tragedy, saying: “I pray for Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives in the plane crash. I extend my condolences and pray for patience for their families and loved ones."

"This is a great tragedy, a significant loss for the people of Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.

Read the original article on People