Azernews.Az

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijan has launched an investigation into the downing of a Russian military helicopter over Armenia, which killed two crew members and injured a third.

Russia’s MI-24 military helicopter was downed on the Nakhchivan section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border at 1830 on November 9. The helicopter was downed amid fierce clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops for Nagorno-Karabakh. Earlier, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry apologized, offering to pay compensation.

The case is being investigated under Article 342.2 (negligence in service, resulting in the death of two or more people, as well as committed in wartime or a combat situation) to ensure a full, objective and thorough examination, the press service of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General’s Office said.

The agency added that the investigation was delegated to the Military Prosecutor’s Office of Nakhchivan and that investigative measures to identify and punish the perpetrators were underway.

Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General Kamran Aliyev sent an official letter to his Russian counterpart Igor Krasnov over the case. In a phone talk with Krasnov, Aliyev delivered his condolences over the death of two crew members, wished a speedy recovery of the injured pilot. The two men also discussed investigative actions. Aliyev pledged a complete, objective, and comprehensive investigation into the case.

Krasnov, in turn, noted that Russia had also opened a criminal case and launched an investigation. He added that coordination with the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General’s Office will contribute to boosting the efficiency of the work in the sphere. Krasnov thanked Azerbaijan for immediately dealing with the incident and taking necessary measures. Aliyev and Krasnov expressed confidence that close cooperation and friendly relations between the Azerbaijani and Russian prosecutors will continue to develop successfully.

Meanwhile, Krasnov hailed the trilateral declaration signed on November 10, 2020, noting that the implementation of the provisions reflected in the document would serve the interests of the parties, including the Azerbaijani people, and also expressed the hope that the deployment of peacekeeping forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone will play an effective role in establishing peace and tranquillity.

In the morning of November 10, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement to end the military conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Under the deal, Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the region to patrol frontlines. Turkey also takes part in the peacekeeping process. Turkey and Russia signed a deal on creating a Turkish-Russian joint ceasefire monitoring centre.

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