European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting Ukraine’s energy security by lending €22.3 million to private Ukrainian energy company Power One for the financing of new peaking generation capacity and battery energy storage systems (BESS).

The loan will enable Power One to construct and operate advanced gas-piston power plants with total capacity of 36.8 megawatts (MW) and BESS with total capacity of 31.5 MW at multiple sites in western Ukraine.

Germany pledges over 13 billion in military aid for Ukraine in 2026. Germany?!

Germany will increase its military support to Ukraine to more than €11.5 billion ($13.4 billion) next year, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced Friday.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Berlin with his colleagues from the UK, France, Italy, and Poland, Pistorius said they are united and determined to increase military support to Ukraine amid Russia’s intensified attacks.

Trump admin to begin deportation of Ukrainian refugees

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, said the embassy is aware of “approximately 80 Ukrainian nationals” who have final orders of removal “due to violations of U.S. law.”

An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “We’ll find good use for them.”

Diplomacy Watch: Ukraine faces failure — and fate — in Pokrovsk

Any day now, Russia is expected to complete its takeover of Pokrovsk, a city in Ukraine’s Donbas region that was once home to 60,000 people. The looming capture could have serious implications for the future of the war, depending on how, exactly, Ukraine chooses to take the loss.

Instead, Kyiv now appears ready to dig in its heels and fight until the last possible moment, as it did in Bakhmut in 2023. While such a move would show resolve on the part of Ukrainian leaders, it would also likely lead to massive losses of soldiers and equipment, according to Anatol Lieven, the director of the Eurasia program at the Quincy Institute, which publishes RS.

Former Georgian President wants to be transferred back to Ukraine

The tie eater. The criminal. The Georgian who became Ukrainian and headed Odessa for a time.

Failed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday to be included in a list of prisoners for exchange as a “civilian prisoner of war.”

ISW: Russia masses nine brigades on a 41 kilometer strip — Huliaipole axis in Zaporizhzhia Oblast faces major pressure

Russian forces continue to advance near Huliaipole and Velykomykhailivka, in the area where three regions—Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk—meet. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), they are taking advantage of poor weather and months of targeted airstrikes to weaken Ukrainian defenses and limit drone surveillance.

Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Kiev hit by Iskander debris

According to information, during the meeting, a strong protest was expressed in connection with the fall of one of the Iskander-type missiles onto the territory of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a result of missile and drone attacks to the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, around 01:00 a.m. on 14 November, and a corresponding note verbal was presented to him

Lastly- Massive drone and missile strike on Kiev last night

Read what Sergei Lavrov states:

Link

Armenia and Azerbaijan initialed a bilateral peace treaty during talks between their leaders hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on August 8. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian also pledged to give the United States exclusive rights to a transit corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave that would pass through Armenia’s strategic Syunik region

Initialed but not signed- It was all for the show. Pashinian pledged exclusive rights- Azerbaijan did not.

Trump, Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claimed that these agreements put an end to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

Trump claimed that. The other 2, not quite.

We need to see how [the deal] will work because all the ecstatic reviews that were heard in the first few days after the meeting in Washington then somehow changed to skeptical assessments when the document was published,” said Lavrov. “And as it turns out, not everything was agreed upon there.”

Exactly as I’d reported!

Lavrov suggested that the White House talks touted by Trump as yet another foreign policy achievement of the current U.S. administration were first and foremost a publicity stunt.

“I think that such a method [of foreign policy making] has the right to exist, but if nothing follows it, then it will simply remain a flash in the pan,” he said. “But we are interested in a real peace treaty being concluded.”

Lavrov similarly said that Armenia and Azerbaijan reached in Washington the kind of agreements that they already negotiated together with Russia in 2020-2022.

As mentioned by yours truly!

Baku continues to make the signing of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty, initialed at the White House, on a change of Armenia’s constitution. Also, the two sides have yet to agree on or at least publicize crucial details of what they call the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.

I get that I’m a bit of an outlier from an alternative perspective, but, my track record has been pretty good!

I’m going to relink the recent posts covering this flash in a pan diplomacy. Including a link back to the actual signed 2020 peace agreement

From August 08/25

Again, Vainglory, Trump is they alternative name

Trump claims to have reached ‘historic’ peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan

All western/5 eyes media ignored the historic agreement when it actually did happen, 5 years ago, because the peace was made under the guidance of the Russian leadership- And the West can’t have this truth, this reality, known globally.

‘Scuse my railings but, Trump is a raving lunatic, who through his bombastic and incessant rantings is endangering us all, globally. That is honestly the way I feel about his piss poor leadership!

To quote my husband, “Trump is reckless”

As I’d explained previously and rehashed in a recent post- Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace agreement in 2020. That’s the first Trump lie. I’m going to relink the news about that agreement

Territorial claims contained in Armenian Constitution today prevented signing of peace agreement – President Ilham Aliyev

BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 9. The territorial claims contained in the Constitution of Armenia today prevented the signing of a peace agreement, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with local media, Trend reports.

Apparently something was initialed with signatures yet to come

Since Azerbaijan and Armenia have already initialed a peace agreement, its official signing should not take long, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during an interview with the Azerbaijani press in Washington

Armenia will have to amend their constitution

When a peace agreement is signed, every issue must be resolved, and the baseless territorial claims against us must be removed. Therefore, I have no doubts regarding this matter,” President Ilham Aliyev emphasized

Alieyev is contradicting Trump’s claim- Trump said the peace agreement was signed. Azeri President said it wasn’t signed because of Armenian territorial claims, that will necessitate a consitutional change on the part of Armenia.- but it was initialed to be signed in the future- at some time.

I’ll update when there is more news- That said it seemed doubtful to me there was any type of real agreement- Trump is really pushing the idea that he should be given a Nobel Peace Prize? Which is as bogus a prize as one can imagine. Trump winning one would carry on the tradition of sham winners being awarded perception managing prizes so all these undeserving cretins will be remembered as something they are not! That includes Obama. Or as I liked to call him Obomba!

Link– from Azeri media Caliber

According to Armenian media, during a meeting with residents of Syunik (Zangezur), he stated the following: “If we can open the gates of Syunik—I mean the opportunities of those 43 kilometres—then you can be sure that the future will offer us great prospects for development. The ‘Crossroads of Peace’ is very well received by the international community.

First of all, what did Khachaturyan mean by the “opportunity of 43 kilometres”? Given the ending of his tirade—“Our goal is to sign a peace agreement in the near future”—he was referring to the Zangezur Corridor. But then, what does the much-touted “Crossroads of Peace” have to do with this? It’s a complete logical fallacy and a glaring absence of common sense. Let’s break it down further.

The Zangezur Corridor is a transport route intended to connect mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Zangezur—a provision clearly laid out in Point 9 of the trilateral statement signed on November 10, 2020, which was personally endorsed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The corridor is planned to include both road and railway links, and in the future, it could become part of the Middle Corridor—an international trade route connecting Asia and Europe via the Caspian Sea. The creation of the Zangezur Corridor is supported by both Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and even two countries that can hardly be called allies—Russia and the United States—back the project.

At my former site- I have a post on this agreement- The TRILATERAL agreement was signed between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia- The link is still viable and is below;

11 point peace plan from 2020 (nearly 5 years ago)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during one of his press conferences, spoke in considerable detail on the subject, noting in particular: “It is very unfortunate that such a practical and beneficial thing as the opening of a route through Zangezur for Armenia still remains only on paper. It is Armenia that is facing difficulties in implementing the opening of the transport corridor.”

Moreover, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made several statements regarding the U.S. initiative—characteristically contradictory in tone. Initially, he declared that the option proposed by Ambassador Tom Barrack—regarding the potential transfer of a section of Armenian territory under the control of a third party—was unacceptable and legally impossible. But, as the saying goes, it wasn’t long before he changed his stance. At a subsequent press conference, he confirmed that discussions had indeed taken place on transferring control of the Zangezur Corridor to a private company representing a third party.

Interestingly, at the time, the Spanish outlet Periodista Digital reported that it had obtained a secret memorandum concerning the Zangezur Corridor, allegedly signed between Armenia and the United States.

As I’d mentioned previously- any agreement regarding this corridor was most likely favoured only by Armenia.

Keep in mind I’m quoting from an Azerbaijani media outlet

Overall, the U.S. initiative concerning the Zangezur Corridor once again confirms that this project lies within the sphere of interest of major global players—and not only for economic reasons. The point is that the corridor plays a critical role in the current era of global order transformation. Specifically, the U.S. interest is motivated, among other things, by Washington’s desire, first, to weaken Moscow’s position in the South Caucasus region; second, to undermine the interests of Iran, which is well known for its opposition to the implementation of the corridor; and third, to use the issue of the Zangezur Corridor to push forward Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations, ultimately leading to a peace agreement under the auspices of the American track.

Azerbaijan understands that the US will use the issue of the corridor to influence negotiation with an attempt to implement an agreement that is favourable to Pax Americana

As for the Zangezur Corridor, Azerbaijan’s position remains unwavering, grounded in international law and on the commitments made by Armenia itself. As Ilham Aliyev stated at the III Shusha Global Media Forum, if Armenia continues to block the process related to the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, its chances of ever becoming a transit country are approaching zero.

“Unfortunately, no work has been done on the Armenian side in the last five years, as this issue is deliberately removed from the agenda. But under such circumstances, the chances for Armenia to ever become a transit country are close to zero. If they continue to block this process, I think that they will find themselves not only in transport isolation, which they already are in today, but also in political isolation to a certain extent,” the president said.

Unless America steps in. Which is what Armenia is wanting. Which is why Armenia is and has been stalling.

These words from the President of Azerbaijan, directed clearly at Yerevan, also serve as a clear message to the international community: Armenia is the main stumbling block to realising important processes in a geopolitically significant region such as the South Caucasus, where the interests of global powers intersect.

Below is an oped from CommonSpace.eu, 22 July 2025
Onnik James Krikorian

For the first time in 31 years of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the situation feels more unpredictable than ever. In the past, there was a grim certainty that another war would erupt just as it did in September 2020 while peace, on the other hand, always seemed distant. In recent weeks, comments from U.S. President Donald Trump that it was almost a done deal simply solicited disagreement among analysts and political commentators. As if that wasn’t confusion enough, and although both Baku and Yerevan have said that the 10 July meeting between the leaders in Abu Dhabi was constructive, another issue has emerged unexpectedly to distract and deflect attention.

What began seemingly as speculation by a prominent U.S. think tank on 1 July now appears to be gaining traction. Washington might have proposed that an American company manage any transit route from Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, running through Armenia, as envisaged by the November 2020 ceasefire statement. The situation was further muddled by the article in question appearing more focused on the need for Washington to push Ankara to open its border in the north.

However, the southern route, referred to as the “Zangezur Corridor” in Azerbaijan and Turkiye, would place the U.S. in direct proximity to Iran and Russian FSB border guards deployed in precisely the same area. Tehran has consistently warned that it will not tolerate any geopolitical changes on its border. The original article also suggested that an anonymous U.S. official opined that President Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize if he helped facilitate the route.

This idea of Trump winning a Nobel Peace Prize for anything is deranged

This raised eyebrows given that several other ethnic Armenian commentators had pushed the same incentive of the coveted prize, though not guaranteed, since the beginning of June if he were to support Armenia’s position on unblocking regional communications. Again, the main focus was convincing or even pressuring Turkiye to open its border with Armenia before an agreement to normalise relations between Baku and Yerevan is signed. Ankara currently refuses to do so unless one is.

Recall my saying if anyone wanted the US involved in this area it was Armenia after having made a sharp turn towards the west. Not Turkey, or Iran. Not Azerbaijan. Not Russia.

However, the southern route, referred to as the “Zangezur Corridor” in Azerbaijan and Turkiye, would place the U.S. in direct proximity to Iran and Russian FSB border guards deployed in precisely the same area. Tehran has consistently warned that it will not tolerate any geopolitical changes on its border. The original article also suggested that an anonymous U.S. official opined that President Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize if he helped facilitate the route.

This raised eyebrows given that several other ethnic Armenian commentators had pushed the same incentive of the coveted prize, though not guaranteed, since the beginning of June if he were to support Armenia’s position on unblocking regional communications. Again, the main focus was convincing or even pressuring Turkiye to open its border with Armenia before an agreement to normalise relations between Baku and Yerevan is signed. Ankara currently refuses to do so unless one is. (Ankara will not open the border until there is an agreement between Baku and Yerevan)

The articles also suggested that such a move could isolate Iran in the region, sideline Russia, and contain emerging Chinese ambitions. For many analysts in Armenia and Azerbaijan, this potential geopolitical escalation is precisely what the current bilateral track, suggested first by Baku in October 2023, sought to avoid. Since then there has reportedly been greater progress than earlier attempts by the EU, U.S., and Russia since 2021. All three had previously been criticised in the past.

The intention was to avoid the geopolitical escalation. First suggested by Baku, to avoid isolating Iran, sidelining Russia and containing China. Yet, Armenia has been working with the Americans, including promoting a potential Nobel Peace Prize for Trump- Sounds just like Netanyahu.

Domestically, Pashinyan appears increasingly determined to remove the Russian FSB from the same route the U.S. would oversee. The recent move against Samvel Karapetyan, an Armenian-Russian oligarch, has also been seen similarly. Pashinyan threatened to nationalise the electricity distribution network the businessman controls. This echoed an idea offered by a Yerevan analyst over a year ago that nationalising the Armenia-Iran gas pipeline could wrest it from Moscow’s control.

Meanwhile, both Azerbaijan and Turkiye reportedly oppose the U.S. proposal. At the weekend, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev reiterated that Baku expects unhindered transit through Armenia and that it will not permit a U.S. company to operate on its own territory. He further stated that Armenia would not become a transit country, likely a reference to Pashinyan’s ambiguous “Crossroads of Peace” proposal introduced as an alternative to Baku’s “Zangezur Corridor.”

AA-

Back to the CommonSpaceoped

In parallel, pro-Pashinyan voices on social media have ramped up pressure on Washington, urging sanctions against Baku if it rejects the U.S. deal. They also continue to press the U.S. to pressure Ankara to open the Armenia-Turkiye border before the peace treaty is signed. Aliyev instead revealed that Baku prefers to initial the agreement until the two main sticking points are resolved

Moreover, there is little clarity on whether Washington intends to pursue this plan while other Armenian commentators suggest it is less about logistics and more about the U.S. taking on the role of a security guarantor, not unlike its recent deal with Ukraine on minerals. At least one Azerbaijani analyst believes this a trap set by Yerevan to sour Baku’s relations with Moscow further.

There are several more paragraphs to be read from the oped- Find them at the opening link.

Last written about in January of this year

We’ve also recently touched on the Armenia/Azeri situation and control of the pivotal, crucial corridor

GISReports

Some excerpts below, read entirely at the link directly above

U.S. eyes greater influence in the South Caucasus

The South Caucasus, comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, has been a focal point for geopolitical tensions for many years. Russia has historically played a strong role in influencing this region. The current administration of President Donald Trump sees both opportunities and challenges in deepening the United States’ engagement there and in Central Asia, where energy and critical resources are in relative abundance. With China’s expanding reach and assertive moves by Russia and Iran, Washington has strong incentives to bolster its presence

Russia’s war in Ukraine shapes South Caucasus geopolitics

In recent years, Russia’s role as the main mediator and security provider in the South Caucasus has diminished, largely due to its ongoing war in Ukraine, the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War and the 2022-2023 Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. The outcome of Russia’s war on Ukraine will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in South Caucasus dynamics.

To maintain its military efforts, Moscow has redirected resources from the region to the front in Ukraine. Furthermore, Russia has relied heavily on trade to bypass sanctions and market restrictions imposed by Western countries. According to a 2024 report by Oxford Economics, Moscow draws on:

A re-routing of trade flows to circumvent EU restrictions on the shipment of goods by Russian companies and sanctions against Russian financial institutions. … Furthermore, some ex-Soviet Union countries are expanding their manufacturing sectors to export more to Russia, thereby exploiting gaps left by the departure of Western companies from the Russian market.

Russia relies on the region as an avenue to bypass Western sanctions and, as a result, benefits from the status quo. Each of the three countries has pursued a distinct path, leading them to consider how the outcome of the war in Ukraine might shape Russia’s future plans for reengagement in the South Caucasus, the Caspian Basin and Moscow’s ability to reassert its sphere of influence.

Political turmoil in Georgia as Russian influence remains

Georgia, situated at the intersection of Europe and Asia, has faced significant political instability in recent years, marked by contested elections and prolonged public protests against the government, which is led by the pro-Kremlin Georgian Dream Party. Despite these challenges, the government’s policies – heavily shaped by billionaire and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the country’s wealthiest individual and a figure sanctioned by the U.S. and some European countries – aim to maintain relations with Russia and China.

Despite a history of strained relations, the U.S. has significant interests in Georgia. The country plays a crucial role in the Middle Corridor, linking Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus with the Black Sea, Europe and Turkey. The development of these corridors enhances global supply chain resilience and limits opportunities for China, Iran and Russia to interfere.

As a littoral state, Georgia could help maintain a free and open Black Sea. However, Russia, since invading Georgia in 2008, occupies 20 percent of the country’s territory, namely the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Additionally, Moscow is building a new Russian naval base in Abkhazia.

Washington has raised apprehensions about China’s involvement in Georgia’s Anaklia deep-water port situated on the eastern edge of the Black Sea, citing security, political and economic implications. Meanwhile, Tehran is actively developing a North-South Corridor connecting Russia to Iran through Georgia, a route that could reduce the regime’s vulnerability to economic and political isolation from the U.S.

Armenia’s shift toward Western alliances

The present Armenian government is clearly distancing itself from the country’s longstanding alignment with Moscow, pursuing closer ties with Europe and the U.S. In April, the government enacted a law establishing a legal basis for the South Caucasus nation to progress toward EU membership. In early 2025, Armenia signed a strategic partnership charter with the U.S. Since 2021, the EU and Armenia have been party to the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. Meanwhile, the country upholds trade and diplomatic relations with Moscow and Tehran, while striving to reopen its closed borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Armenia also enjoys cordial relations with Georgia, which has facilitated several trilateral efforts with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The strategic objectives of Armenia’s current government align closely with U.S. interests. Armenia’s pivot toward a pro-Western stance, its efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan and normalize relations with Turkey can significantly enhance regional stability if maintained and built upon.

This is critical for the development of the Middle Corridor (also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route or Central Asia-Caspian-Caucasus Corridor), which aims to link Chinese and European markets via Central Asia and the Caucasus. The corridor advances U.S. goals by offering regional countries a trade alternative to the North-South corridor from Russia to Iran. The route can foster diversified supply chains, open new markets, and secure energy and resource access for Western countries, while limiting the influence of Russia and Iran. Moreover, in parallel with its new critical minerals agreement with Kyiv, the U.S. is also actively pursuing mining and processing agreements in Armenia, as part of its global strategy to counter China’s dominance in rare earths and critical minerals production.

The Trump administration is likely to continue constructive engagement with Armenia.

Included above is half of the information available at the GIS link

https://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.com/2020/11/nagorno-karabakh-russia-turkey-have.html?zx=91cd0ee4eb7f3434

Friday, November 13, 2020

Nagorno Karabakh: “Russia , Turkey Have Common Objectives in Karabakh” as MOU signed

Oddly enough I was the only independent thinking, alternative blogger that saw this cooperation as a possibility.

Back nearly 3 weeks ago.

https://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.com/2020/10/3rd-ceasefire-faltering-in-nagarno.html?zx=698cd6aa2746c14f

“-Possible Outcomes?

1- Western Imperial Powers will Recognize “Artsakh” Talked about this here previously. This move will certainly set the region alight!

2– Turkey and Russia will send peace keepers in. The issue of territory will be settled once and for all. The same type of cooperation as we see in Syria. Iran may participate as well.

An Astana 2.0 if you like?”

   Too much irrationality. Too much bias, dare I say racism? Hatred? Not sure. On the part of alleged objective, independent thinkers. That’s how it appears. 

 Speaking for myself. I’m preferring diplomacy to blood letting. Turkey and Russia cooperating keeps NATO off kilter on one hand, while balancing international/global affairs on the other.

• Memorandum of Understanding Signed- Similar views and intent to continue cooperating.

Russia and Turkey have a common objective in the Upper Karabakh region to monitor the peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia that ended weeks of armed conflict, Russia’s foreign minister said on Thursday.

“We agreed with our Turkish partners to establish an observation center on the territory of Azerbaijan, which will not be located near the conflict zone,” Sergey Lavrov told a news conference.

Responding to a question by an Anadolu Agency reporter on Turkey’s efforts for ending the conflict through diplomacy, he noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin have held several phone calls and share similar views on the issue.

He said Moscow will continue cooperating with Ankara in other areas, including Syria, adding that they were interested in solving problems at their borders and across the world.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said earlier on Thursday that Ankara will play an equally important role as Moscow in monitoring the peace deal through the peacekeeping center in Upper Karabakh.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) setting up a joint Turkish-Russian center to monitor the peace deal was signed on Wednesday morning.

As some Armenians vacate the occupied territories they are burning homes, schools etc.

Macron and Pashinian talk

“French President Macron says ready to assist in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement
The presidential press office reported in a statement early on Friday that President Macron held a telephone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan

Macron’s ready to assist now? Where was he before? Making trouble that's where he was.

 I trust Macron the least of nearly every political leader. Save for Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland. Macron is more meglomaniacal and duplicitous then Erdogan could ever aspire to be. Through my media based observations I find Erdogan, like Putin,  more diplomacy oriented. The are both very pragmatic leaders.
Macron has enjoyed an incredible free pass from the main stream and alternative media! He doesn’t deserve that level of obfuscation delivered on his behalf. The role of a Macron led France in the destruction of Syria, gets a free pass, though France shares no border with Syria. Unlike Turkey, which does mean they do have legitimate border/territorial security concerns. France does not.  Then there was the whole sale destruction of Libya, brought on by a Sarkozy led France (Turkey was not involved)  What’s with that so called anti empire media? Why the free pass for France? Speaking of Libya the love affair the alt media has with Haftar is incredible.  Incredibly disturbing that is.

Azerbaijan has applied to join the BRICS

It’s best this is resolved between Azerbaijan and Russia so Ukraine, US, UK are denied the opportunity to exploit this situation for their own gain/ propaganda purposes.

Link

On December 29, President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, gave an interview to Azerbaijan Television at Heydar Aliyev International Airport to discuss the tragic crash of an AZAL flight on December 25 near Aktau, Kazakhstan. 

The president shared details about the investigation, the actions taken by Azerbaijani authorities, and outlined the country’s expectations from Russia, emphasizing the need for an apology, accountability, and compensation. He also praised the heroism and professionalism of the aircraft crew and acknowledged the solidarity shown by Kazakhstan during the aftermath of the tragedy.

Caliber.Az presents the full text of the interview via Azertag:

Journalist: Hello Mr. President.

President Ilham Aliyev: Hello.

Journalist: Unfortunately, an event that deeply shocked all of us occurred in recent days. On 25 December, an AZAL plane flying from Baku to Grozny crashed near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan. We would like to know your thoughts on how subsequent developments unfolded.

President Ilham Aliyev: I received information about this while on the plane flying to St. Petersburg to participate in the CIS Summit. I was informed and immediately ordered that the plane should return to Baku. As soon as I arrived in Baku, I held an operational meeting at the airport. While I was still on the way to Baku, a State Commission was established on my instruction, and a delegation consisting of representatives of relevant agencies was immediately dispatched to the city of Aktau. Because they had to start work immediately. First of all, they had to get acquainted with the condition of the plane’s remains, conduct on-site observations, obtain video and photo footage, and present them to the public.

Additionally, a group of Azerbaijani doctors was dispatched to Aktau, although the Kazakh side spared no effort to treat the wounded and provide them with medical care. At the same time, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan started a criminal case on my instructions, and I know that similar steps were taken both in Kazakhstan and in Russia. Of course, work has begun on the initial theories. Of course, the final version will become clear after the black boxes have been examined. However, the initial theories are also quite reasonable and are based on facts. The facts indicate that the Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory, near the city of Grozny, and almost lost control. We also know that means of electronic warfare put our plane out of control. This was the first impact on the plane. At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged. Immediately, on the same day, our team captured this video footage from the city of Aktau and informed the public about it. The fact that the fuselage is riddled with holes indicates that the theory of the plane hitting a flock of birds, which was brought up by someone, is completely removed from the agenda. It is possible that when the plane was damaged, when it was hit, the pilot could have perceived it as a collision with birds. Because it would probably never have occurred to anyone that our plane might be fired at from the ground while flying over a country friendly to us. Unfortunately, however, some circles in Russia preferred to put forward this theory. Another regrettable and surprising moment for us was that official Russian agencies put forward theories about the explosion of a gas cylinder on board the plane. In other words, this clearly showed that the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue, which, of course, is unbecoming of anyone. Of course, our plane was hit by accident. Of course, there can be no talk of a deliberate act of terror here. Therefore, admitting guilt, apologizing in a timely manner to Azerbaijan, which is considered a friendly country, and informing the public about this – these were measures and steps that should have been taken. Unfortunately, for the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except for some absurd theories.

Of course, the details of the accident will be fully investigated. I have no doubt about that. I must also note that Azerbaijan was in favor of a group of international experts engaging in this work from the very first day. The Russian side officially suggested to us that the Interstate Aviation Committee investigate this matter. But we categorically refused. The reason is clear. Because it is no secret that this organization consists mostly of Russian officials and is headed by Russian citizens. Objectivity factors could not be fully ensured here. If we had seen fair and reasonable steps by Russia in the immediate aftermath of the accident, we probably would not have objected. But we saw that attempts to cover up the case were quite obvious.

Therefore, we expressed this position in our close contacts both to the Kazakh side and the Russian side – a working group consisting of international experts only should be established, and it was. There are representatives of the aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, those of relevant Brazilian agencies, representatives of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, including the Interstate Aviation Committee – not in leading roles, but simply as members of the working group. Let me repeat, after the flight recorders have been opened and we have obtained more detailed information, the full picture of what happened will be revealed and many questions that still remain outstanding today will be clarified. For example, why couldn’t the plane land in Grozny? To what extent did the means of radio-electronic warfare affect the plane’s controls? What was the extent of consequences of the strike and the explosion in the vicinity of the plane? Because I must also state that attempts to deny obvious facts and pull the wool over people’s eyes here are both nonsensical and absurd. Because fortunately, thanks to the heroism of the crew, an incident occurred that allowed the plane to land, even though it was an emergency landing. Many of the passengers survived, and their testimonies are available. The injuries inflicted on the passengers and crew by the shrapnel that pierced the plane are also obvious. Attributing this to a flock of birds or to the explosion of a gas cylinder is both foolish and dishonest. Therefore, we will find out why the plane could not land after the black boxes have been opened. When exactly was the plane fired at from the ground? Why didn’t the plane attempt to land at the nearest airports, which were Mineralnye Vody and Makhachkala? Was the plane sent to Aktau, or was this an objective choice? There are various hypotheses. Some believe that the plane was deliberately sent off course by ground handling services in Grozny because the plane was already out of control, and there was a high probability it would fall into the sea. If this had been the case, the cover-up attempts would have been successful, and the so-called bird theory would have been presented as the most likely version. According to some experts, Aktau was chosen because it is located in an open space, residential areas are far from the airport, and the crew of the plane could have assumed that this would be an emergency landing and chose a more suitable place for it. On the other hand, however, with nearby airports available, it was riskier for an uncontrollable plane to fly further, especially over the sea. In other words, there are no answers to all these questions yet. We, the Azerbaijani side, and I personally are trying to be as fair as possible. We do not want to express an opinion on unclear issues before they are fully clarified. However, we must, we do, and we will state our opinion with full determination on obvious issues. I said in my remarks here at the airport on the day of the accident that the Azerbaijani public will be regularly updated on this issue, and on the progress of this investigation, and that it is.

– Mr. President, how would you assess the performance of the aircraft crew?

– Very highly. I attended the farewell ceremony today and expressed my condolences to the relatives of the deceased crew members. Today, I will issue an order awarding the crew members. I highly appreciate their performance, professionalism, and dedication. The pilots and the entire crew showed true heroism. The pilots showed both professionalism and heroism in controlling the plane that was out of control in various ways. Of course, they were experienced pilots and knew that they would not be able to survive this emergency landing. However, they displayed tremendous heroism to save the passengers, and it is thanks to them that there are survivors in this plane crash. It is thanks to them that a section of the fuselage did not burn, and it is thanks to them that 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.

The pilots and crew members showed both professionalism and composure. I must specifically acknowledge the female crew members. They themselves were in a state of stress, but look how humanely they acted to calm the passengers and prevent chaos inside the plane. Their actions, I repeat, will be duly acknowledged by the Azerbaijani state. May Allah rest the souls of the deceased crew members and all those who died in peace. We wish the survivors a speedy recovery. Most of the survivors are already in Baku. They received immediate treatment in Kazakhstan. Some are still receiving treatment and will be evacuated to Azerbaijan as soon as possible.

– Mr. President, you phoned the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. We would like to know your opinion on the issues discussed. In general, how would you evaluate the joint activity of Azerbaijani and Kazakh government officials working together on this issue?

– Yes, first of all, I called to express my gratitude to President Tokayev. Because we knew, and had received information, that as soon as the accident occurred, Kazakh rescuers immediately arrived at the scene and began to pull people out of the destroyed fuselage. They put their own lives at risk. Because they did not know whether there would be another explosion or not. A part of the plane had burned, and the other part could have caught fire as well. But despite this, they showed true heroism. At the same time, the activities of the medical teams were also very valuable. Because the injured passengers were immediately taken to medical facilities, and I expressed my gratitude to President Tokayev for this. I know that the demonstration of solidarity by our Kazakh brothers and sisters also left a great mark in the hearts of the Azerbaijani people. Ordinary people went to our consulate in Aktau, laid flowers, and expressed their attitude and solidarity with us. This is what true friendship and brotherhood are like. During my conversation with President Tokayev, I also expressed Azerbaijan’s position on the investigation and brought to his attention the issues I have just mentioned – that we are in favor of international examination and in no way can we put this issue at the disposal of the Interstate Aviation Committee. This position was also met with understanding. Of course, representatives of our government institutions, members and heads of the commission, and representatives of the prosecutor’s office are constantly in touch. Kazakhstan, in turn, has also created a State Commission, and President Tokayev informed me about this during the conversation. They also want and are trying to ensure that the issue is fully disclosed, of course. At the same time, I also expressed my condolences to President Tokayev because six citizens of Kazakhstan died as a result of the accident. He also expressed his condolences to me. In other words, no matter how serious the incident was, it was also a test. In other words, how will anyone come out of this test? I am glad that despite this tragedy, I see and am sure that people in Kazakhstan share the same opinion. Our friendship and brotherhood have become even stronger after this difficult situation.

– In the aftermath of the accident, AZAL suspended flights to some Russian cities. What was the reason for this decision and how are things going now?

– I gave this instruction, and the main reason for this, of course, is the issue of safety. Because airspace in many Russian cities is occasionally closed, and a special operating regime is applied there. They call this a “Kovyor (carpet) operation,” and returning to what I mentioned in the first question, I must also mention that one other thing must also be clarified: when was that “Kovyor operation” announced? Because according to the information on our hands, that “Kovyor operation” was announced only after our plane had been exposed to external influence. If this is the case, it once again shows that local services did this to cover up the issue.

As for AZAL flights, AZAL has indefinitely suspended its flights to seven Russian cities. At the same time, we have also suspended flights of Russian airlines from three Russian cities to Azerbaijan. Our air connection with a total of 10 cities has now been suspended, and let me repeat that, first of all, security issues are at the forefront here. We have always considered the safety of our passengers a priority, and this situation has been declared. Whatever we do, we do it openly. Let me repeat, this decision has been made. When will these flights be resumed, especially to the city of Grozny? Most likely, they will not. Life will tell, and the security of Russian airspace will certainly be taken into account.

– Mr. President, what are Azerbaijan’s expectations and demands from Russia in general in connection with what happened?

– We have clearly expressed our demands to the Russian side. These demands were officially communicated to them on 27 December. What do these demands consist of? First of all, the Russian side must apologize to Azerbaijan. 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. These are our conditions. The first of these was fulfilled yesterday. I do hope that the other conditions will also be accepted. All these conditions are fair. There are no extraordinary demands or issues here; all of this is based on international experience and normal human conduct. That’s it. I repeat, the Azerbaijani public is and will be informed about all sides of the issue. The conditions I mentioned are conveyed to the public through you, of course, and I repeat, I do hope that our conditions are accepted.

– Thank you very much, Mr. President. We are grateful for your detailed answers to our questions.

– Thank you.

penny2says:

December 27, 2024 at 6:34 pm•Edit

Mark mentioned Aliev was in the air over Russia, enroute to St Petersburg when this plane crashed

He was. Here’s the report

https://en.apa.az/official-news/president-ilham-aliyev-cuts-short-visit-to-russia-due-to-plane-crash-456468

“President Ilham Aliyev, en route to the Russian Federation to attend the informal summit of the heads of state of CIS member countries in St. Petersburg today, was informed, while in the Russian airspace, about a plane crash that occurred in. The President immediately instructed to return, APA reports”

Informed, WHILE IN RUSSIAN AIRSPACE, that a plane crash occurred- He immediately returned to Azerbaijan

So, this is similar to the 2014 incident in that regard!

As I’d reported in the December 26 post on this latest incident. Ukraine has previously targeted Chechnya, and the airport in Grozny, which is quite a long way from the main battle theatre-

“The airport in Grozny has been targeted by Ukraine in the past as part of its war with Russia.”

I took the time to look and it is about 1600 kms from central Ukraine to Grozny

Why would Ukraine be targeting Grozny airport in Chechnya?

I must tip my hat to Andrew Korbyko for publishing the information at his substack and ya know what? It makes sense!!! Included below are 3 relevant paragraphs, read entirely at the link provided above

Regardless of whichever explanation one deems to be more credible, the point is that both were caused by Ukraine’s reckless drone attacks against Grozny, which is far away from the special operation zone. This week’s weren’t the first, and the reason why that city has been targeted likely has to do with Ukraine’s belief that these attacks can spark political unrest in that formerly separatist region, thus opening up a so-called “second front” for diverting Russia’s attention and forces from the primary one.

Andrey Kovalenko, who’s the head of the “Center for Countering Disinformation” that’s part of the National Security and Defense Council, told them that “Russia should have closed the airspace over Grozny but failed to do so.” In other words, these drone attacks were deliberately meant to create an unsafe environment, which would either coerce Russia into closing its airspace or cause a tragedy.

Closing its entire southern airspace indefinitely as a precaution due to the long range of Ukrainian drones would have objectively been an overreaction with incalculable financial costs just like if the US would have done the same in response to mysterious drone sightings over the East Coast earlier this month. Nevertheless, precisely because Russia didn’t do so, Ukraine and its media allies will now predictably claim that this was irresponsible after what happened even though Kiev is to blame as explained.

This plane crash is on Ukraine.

I believe the investigation concluded the plane was shot down by a Buk missiles? Which is a Russian make, but Ukraine’s arsenal was well stocked with these systems. My suspicion at that time was Ukrainian military had shot the plane down.

original url

http://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.com/2014/07/breaking-malaysian-passenger-plane.html

Check the link below to access what is available for images and links

Via the webarchive

https://web.archive.org/web/20140815142644/http://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.com/2014/07/breaking-malaysian-passenger-plane.html

From more then 10 yrs ago- Me, being gobsmacked!

Holy smokes! If Russia won’t take the Ukrainian bait would a false flag be the next move? 
This is exactly, I kid you not, exactly something mentioned as a distinct possibility just yesterday during a real life conversation
So, that freaks me out quite a bit!

And, a Malaysian passenger plane? Another Malaysian plane?
What would be the odds? It’s certainly memorable. As in the memories are already embedded in the mass consciousness.– Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 unofficial disappearance theories
My other thought is Malaysian Airlines are not so good and this tragedy is being spun for political advantage

I will likely be updating whenever possible- check back in for more news
 ————————————————————————————–
Today it is MasMH17 crashing in Ukraine
A Malaysian passenger airliner with 295 people on board crashed in Ukraine today, the Interfax news agency cited an aviation industry source as saying.

The Boeing 777-200 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, it said.

Malaysia Airlines has sent out the following tweet: “Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. Last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow.”

 The plane was due to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6.09am tomorrow.
The Interfax report said the plane came down 50km short of entering Russian airspace.

It “began to drop, afterwards it was found burning on the ground on Ukrainian territory,” the unnamed source said.

The plane appeared to have come down in a region of military action where Ukrainian government forces are battling pro-Russian separatists.

A separate unnamed source in the Ukrainian security apparatus, quoted by Interfax, said the plane disappeared from radar at a height of 10,000 metres after which it came down near the town of Shakhtyorsk, reported Reuters.

Meanwhile Bloomberg has reported Ukrainian Interior Minister adviser Anton Gerashchenko on his Facebook confirming that the plane has been hit by a missile and crashed near the eastern town of Torez.

Kiev’s fascists are already spinning this was a shootdown!

Anton Gerashenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, said on his Facebook page the plane was flying at an altitude of 10,000 metres when it was hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher. A similar launcher was seen by Associated Press journalists near the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne earlier Thursday. The Buk missile system can fire missiles up to an altitude of 22,000 metres.

[UPDATE 00:01AM] Malaysian Passenger Plane Crashes In Ukraine Near Russian Border – Interfax

A Malaysian airliner reportedly with 295 people on board has crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border, on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia Airlines said it had lost contact with Flight MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukraine, it said in a tweet.

An aviation source in Moscow told Reuters the plane had been found burning on the ground in east Ukraine.

This can’t be good. It really can’t be good.
It’s clear Kiev is putting forth the narrative with zero evidence of any type. No investigation. No evidence to substantiate Kiev's claim  Malaysian jetliner shot down over Ukraine: official.

The shoot down narrative originates with Kiev. Every news item I read that mentions shoot down is quoting Kiev officials.Very worrisome. Very worrisome.

Earlier reporting from USA today
UPDATE #1– Malaysia was award-winning airline before losing planes

The apparent crash Thursday of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 is the second major tragedy this year for the airline, which is still searching for Flight 370 that vanished March 8.
 The plane that crashed, a Boeing 777-200, is a similar model to the one that disappeared March 8 with 239 people aboard on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The search for that flight has focused on the Indian Ocean about 1,000 miles west of Australia, based on intermittent signals that a satellite picked up.

 I have goosebumps…..

UPDATE #2
This is supposed to be video of the crash? From the Telegraph

Via social media, of course. I don’t get a sense that it is a plane crash?
Can anyone help with the translation? I don’t know what is being said? Help, please?

Update # 3 : Why was this plane flying  over Ukraine?

 April/2014 International & US aviation authorities warned pilots and airlines to avoid Ukrainian airspace- Why was this plane there? 

Important questions that have to be asked?
1-How many commercial airliners would be using airspace over a war zone? Particularly after international and US aviation authorities issued warnings to avoid Ukranian airspace?
2- What insurer would knowingly insure a plane that was using airspace over a warzone?
3- Who assigned the pilot the flight path? 
4- If the pilot changed course mid-flight, who instructed the pilot to make the course change?

Aviation safety authorities in the United States and Europe warned pilots in April about potential risks flying in or near Ukraine airspace.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a “special notice” regarding Ukrainian airspace advising airlines to “exercise extreme caution due to the continuing potential for instability.”

International aviation agencies in April also had warned pilots and airlines to avoid the Ukranian airspace.

UPDATE # 4

Obama faces call to act over downed plane

As the world waited for an official US verdict ( An official US verdict?) on who was responsible for downing the plane, defence hawks were already warning that there would be “hell to pay” if Russia or its separatist proxies in eastern Ukraine were to blame.

Excuse me, how can the US issue a verdict without a proper investigation?
Insane McCain-

“If it was a missile that was launched either by Russia or the ‘separatists’ – which in my view are indivisible – this would have the most profound repercussions,” he told CNN.

“It would open the gates, finally, for our assisting the Ukrainians. Giving them some defensive weapons, sanctions would have to be imposed as a result of that, and that would just be the beginning.”

UPDATE # 5- H/T Freethinker!

President Putin’s plane might have been the target for Ukrainian missile – anonymous sources

Pay attention to this headline-  Reports that Putin flew similar route as MH17, presidential airport says ‘hasn’t overflown Ukraine for long time’

“Presidential airport hasn’t overflown Ukraine for a long time”– How long of a time? Since international and US aviation authorities warned pilots and airlines to avoid Ukrainian airspace?

 “I can say that Putin’s plane and the Malaysian Boeing intersected at the same point and the same echelon. That was close to Warsaw on 330-m echelon at the height of 10,100 meters. The presidential jet was there at 16:21 Moscow time and the Malaysian aircraft – 15:44 Moscow time,” a source told the news agency on condition of anonymity.
“The contours of the aircrafts are similar, linear dimensions are also very similar, as for the coloring, at a quite remote distance they are almost identical”, the source added”

Noticing the similarities?

UPDATE #6

US Intelligence officials confirm the shootdown “not an accident”

I am not convinced of shoot down. I understand there is a vast debris field which means the plane exploded very high in the sky. This doesn’t seem, to me, to exclude explosives planted on board?
Confirming a shoot down- still does not tell us, if correct, who did the shooting.

A Malaysia Airlines passenger plane carrying 295 people was hit by a surface-to-air missile, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Officials were divided over the origin of the missile that hit the plane, which crashed over eastern Ukraine on Thursday.

This is way too convenient. Kiev claims the plane was shot down. The US bolsters the original claim without evidence

UPDATE #7  H/T jo6pac

If Kiev had already declared the south/ eastern Ukraine skies a ‘no fly’ area- for anyone other then Kiev’s planes, then this plane flying overhead would have been a definite concern to the fascist’s in Kiev- They may have mistaken it for Putin’s plane and shot it down- Or, just the presence of the plane could have been all the justification needed for Kiev to take it down. So, we go back to the question, again, of why this plane was flying in this area? Was it being remotely piloted? It’s possible. Either way, the shooting down of the plane, still points to Kiev.

DNR Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Purgin said militias had no radars and therefore could not track planes.
“Let me say that Ukraine declared the south-east a no-fly zone several days ago. And every day they were saying that they were registering some drones or spy planes. Naturally, they wanted to shoot down such a plane to prove Russia’s role in the conflict. Having seen some plane on the radar screen they might have shot it down. So it seems like a provocation,” Purgin said.

If you are reading this, you should know there are two follow ups.
Read em! More info in these three posts then the emotional manipulation/propaganda you will get from the main stream war mongering media

So, there it is from July 2014. Ukraine was already firing on the Donetsk/Lugansk region- Already targeting civilians. This was after the Maidan “protest” show that was intended to provide a veneer of democracy to the very obvious western backed coup