Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on January 11 said that he expects “a full admission of guilt” and for Iran “to bring those responsible to justice” after it admitted to mistakenly shooting down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after takeoff from Tehran, IPN reports.
“We expect from Iran assurances of readiness for a full and open investigation, bringing the perpetrators to justice, returning the bodies of the dead, payment of compensations, official apologies through diplomatic channels,” he said. “Our 45 professionals should have full access and cooperation to establish justice.”
Iran admitted that its military made an “unforgivable mistake” in unintentionally shooting down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 people onboard, after days of rejecting Western intelligence reports that pointed to Tehran being responsible.
A military statement early on Saturday via state TV blamed “human error” for the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 on Wednesday in the tense aftermath of strikes on US targets. It was followed by an apology from Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, who said that he deeply regrets this disastrous mistake.
Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter that “human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster.”
