Azerbaijan claims Russia ‘vowed’ to punish those responsible for plane crash that killed 38

Azerbaijan's general prosecutor stated that Moscow had promised to identify and punish those at fault for the plane crash which led to 38 deaths

Azerbaijan's general prosecutor on Monday stated that Russia had vowed to identify and punish those responsible for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash on December 25, reported news agency AFP.

An Azerbaijan airlines plane crashed near Kazakhstan leaving 38 people dead (REUTERS)

Russia's investigative committee had promised Azerbaijan that they would take “intensive measures” to identify the guilty people and bring them to justice.

Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev had demanded that Russia take responsibility for accidentally shooting the plane which crash-landed in Kazakhstan. The plane crash left 38 out of the 67 passengers dead.

Russian authorities have not confirmed if it was their air-defence missiles that hit the plane and caused the accident. However, Putin offered an apology to Aliyev for the incident that took place in Russian airspace.

Aliyev alleges ‘cover up’

On Sunday, Aliyev alleged that the Russian authorities were attempting to hide the cause of the crash by putting forth alternative theories to “cover up the issue”.

"We can say with complete clarity that the plane was shot down by Russia. We are not saying that it was done intentionally, but it was done,” he told Azerbaijani state television as per AFP.

According to Russian authorities, who are conducting an inquiry into the incident, the area the plane was flying over was covered in dense fog and had been attacked by Ukrainian drones triggering Russian air defence systems.

However, Putin did not admit that the Russian defence systems could have accidentally shot the plane.

Aliyev had made three demands from Russia, seeking an apology, an admission of guilt, punishment for the criminals, and compensation for the injured passengers from the plane crash.