Azerbaijan's president has confronted Putin over the devastating plane crash that killed 38 people on Christmas Day.

President Aliyev has blamed Russia for the airliner’s downing, which killed 38 people. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Monday once again blamed Russian officials for the plane crash that killed 38 people on Christmas Day and called for them to be punished.

Four sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of Azerbaijan's investigation told Reuters that Russian air defences mistakenly shot it down.

Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, has demanded 'justice' and 'punishment' for those responsible for the Christmas Day plane crash that killed 38 people

Vladimir Putin has apologised for the Azerbaijan Airlines crash but stopped short of accepting responsibility for what he described as a “tragic incident”.

In the crash’s aftermath, Azerbaijan has unleashed rare and stinging criticism of Russia, with the country’s president saying Moscow’s response has caused “surprise, regret and rightful indignation.”

Russia's leader apologises over the downing of an Azerbaijani plane in Russian airspace - without directly taking blame.

We demand justice, we demand punishment for those responsible, and we demand full transparency, — said the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, regarding the plane crash caused by a Russian missile.

"The blame for this disaster lies with representatives of the Russian Federation," Ilham Aliyev said on Jan. 6.