Logo

Logo

# World

Azerbaijan admits it shot down Russian military helicopter on its border with Armenia; apologised

Two crew members were killed and a third was injured when the helicopter was shot down in Armenia near the border with Azerbaijan on Monday, the defence ministry in Moscow said.

AFP | Baku, Azerbaijan | November 10, 2020 12:36 pm

Azerbaijan admits it shot down Russian military helicopter on its border with Armenia; apologised

(Representational image: iStock)

Azerbaijan admitted on Monday it had shot down a Russian military helicopter on its border with Armenia and apologised.

Two crew members were killed and a third was injured when the helicopter was shot down in Armenia near the border with Azerbaijan on Monday, the defence ministry in Moscow said.

Advertisement

“The Azerbaijani side offers an apology to the Russian side in connection with this tragic incident,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding the move was an accident and “not aimed against” Moscow.

Advertisement

The foreign ministry said the helicopter flew at a low altitude during hours of darkness and close to the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“Helicopters of the Russian air force had not been previously sighted in the area,” the statement added.

Baku said Azerbaijani forces decided to open fire due to heightened tensions amid fighting with Armenian separatists.

It offered its condolences to the families of those killed and said it was ready to pay compensation.

The incident came during a spike in fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenian separatists over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Advertisement

Related posts

# Opinion

How India ensured its success in Op Sindoor

Operation Sindoor is now paused as India continues to monitor Pakistan’s actions and activities. The operation lasted four days at the end of which Pakistan, a nuclear weapons state, backed by China, Turkey and Azerbaijan, sought termination of hostilities.

# India

Boycotting Turkey, Azerbaijan, tourists opt for alternate destinations

travel plans to Türkiye and Azerbaijan in significant numbers in the wake of their support to Pakistan during India’s recent military operation, codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’, in reponse to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The shift in the citizens’ choice of tourism destination came in response to the two countries openly backing Pakistan during heightened tensions triggered by India’s strike on terrorist infrastructure in the neighbouring country. Speaking to The Statesman, a prominent travel agency, wishing not to be named, suspended all flights and hotel bookings for Türkiye and Azerbaijan. “For Türkiye, we have seen cancellations of about 22 per cent, and for Azerbaijan, it is above 30 per cent. Last year, 3.8 lakh people travelled to either Azerbaijan or Türkiye from India,” a person associated with the company said. The representative of the agency further said that they estimated the economic implications of this travel shift, noting, “If one were to consider a modest ₹60,000-₹70,000 per passenger spent, it equates to somewhere around ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 crore spent by Indians in these countries. Now, this money will probably come back to us in the form of these countries choosing to give their arsenals, their weaponry, to Pakistan and hitting back at them, which is why we Indians need to know where to spend our money.” “Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won’t flow together,” Aloke Bajpai, CEO of Ixigo, asserted while announcing a suspension of all bookings to Türkiye, China, and Azerbaijan, echoing public sentiments against the countries perceived to be aligning with India’s adversaries. Meanwhile, one of the leading travel agencies confirmed a dramatic decline in the interest in the two destinations. “Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Türkiye decreasing by 60 per cent, while cancellations have surged by 250 per cent during the same period,” the company stated. Industry insiders suggest that this travel backlash is not only a reflects patriotic sentiment but also signals the growing influence of consumer choices in diplomatic contexts. With lakhs of Indian tourists now rerouting their travel plans, the financial impact on Türkiye and Azerbaijan’s tourism sectors could be significant. In addition to it, EaseMyTrip’s co-founder Nishant Pitti took to X to say, “Travel is a powerful tool. Let's not use it to empower those who don't stand with us. Last year, 287,000 Indians visited Türkiye & 243,000 visited Azerbaijan. Tourism drives their economies. Türkiye: 12% of GDP | 10% of jobs Azerbaijan: 7.6% of GDP | 10% of jobs.” "When these nations openly support Pakistan, should we fuel their tourism and their economies? Every rupee we spend abroad is a vote. Let's spend it where our values are respected. Jai Hind," he asserted.