Moscow: "No more Azeri ambiguous statements" over downed helicopter

PanARMENIAN.Net - Moscow expects the earliest implementation of assurances from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to investigate the downing of the Russian Mi-24 helicopter in the skies over Armenia and punish those responsible, the Russian Foreign Minister said Thursday, November 12, according to TASS.

The comment came in response to a statement by Azerbaijani Ambassador to Moscow, Polad Bülbüloğlu, who said "anything can happen in war."

The Foreign Ministry noted, however, that if Russia adhered to the same principle of war, the response to the incident would have been devastating.

"Moscow accepted Baku’s admission of guilt and apology," the Russian side said urging Azerbaijan to "never again make any ambiguous statements" about the incident.

Azerbaijan earlier apologized for “accidentally shooting down” the gunship, saying it is “ready to pay compensation.” Two members of the crew died while a third was injured in the crash, the Russian Defense Ministry said back then. The Mi-24 aircraft accompanying a convoy of the Russian military base in Armenia was shot down with a man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD), the Ministry added, stressing that the incident took place in the airspace of Armenia, outside the combat zone.