Azerbaijan's president said on Monday that Russia was "guilty" over the downing of an airline last month that Baku says was shot by Russian air defenses. An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 jet crash-landed in Kazakhstan on Dec.

The relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, by mutual recognition of the two countries, have reached an unprecedented level of trust and are characterized as a strategic partnership. However, as recent events have confirmed,

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Russia of "an attempt to hush up" the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines jet last month.

In the crash’s aftermath, Azerbaijan has unleashed rare and stinging criticism of Russia, with the country’s president saying Moscow’s response has caused “surprise, regret and rightful indignation.”

Azerbaijan's president said on Monday that Russia was "guilty" over the downing of an airline last month that Baku says was shot by Russian air defences.

Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the plane crash in Russian air space on Christmas Day that left 38 people dead in a statement that said Russia was targeting Ukrainian drones over the plane’s planned destination at the time, but stopped short of taking responsibility.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev blasted Russia for putting forward “absurd” theories initially and said Moscow must compensate victims’ families.

The Embraer 190 was traveling to Grozny, Russia, but crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people onboard. Investigators are focusing on Russian air defense as the likely cause. By Ivan ...

We demand justice, we demand punishment for those responsible, we demand full transparency - said the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, referring to the plane crash caused by a Russian missile. He also accused Moscow of attempting to cover up the incident.

Brazil's air force said Monday it had extracted the data from two black box recorders belonging to a crashed Azerbaijan Airlines plane that Baku claims was downed by Russia on Christmas Day.

Aliyev, who is close to Putin, issued rare criticism of his Russian neighbour over the crash last month, and demanded an apology from Moscow.