MOSCOW. Dec 29 (Interfax) - The UN mission in South Sudan did not clear the flight of a Russian Mi-8 helicopter in the country's airspace, and this is why the military shot it down, South Sudan Ambassador to Russia Shol Deng Alak said.
"According to our information, the UN mission did not comply with the requirements, and therefore this led to such tragic consequences," the ambassador said at a press conference in Moscow on Friday.
South Sudan law requires that any movement of troops and aircraft has to be cleared with the South Sudan Liberation Army, he said.
"The movements of troops and aircraft on the territory of the republic of South Sudan are allowed with preliminary notification indicating the nature of the flight, the route, and the cargo transported by these aircraft," Shol Deng Alak said.
A Russian Mi-8 helicopter belonging to NizhnevartovskAvia was shot down in South Sudan on December 21, 2012. Five crewmembers, including four Russian citizens, were killed in the incident. The helicopter was operating under a contract with the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), had UN markings, and was on a planned flight ordered by the mission.
South Sudan armed forces spokesman Kella Kuet said at first that the helicopter had been shot down not by the military but by insurgents. However, as the Russian Foreign Ministry said later, South Sudan official representatives acknowledged later that the helicopter had been shot down by the armed forces, despite the fact that the local command had been notified by the UNMISS in advance about the planned flight, and the mission received security guarantees.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on December 27 that Russia might declare South Sudan's airspace as not recommended for civilian aircraft flights.
"We believe that all those responsible for the accident will be held liable and punished deservedly. We will follow measures taken by South Sudan's authorities very closely. If our repeated requests remain without a proper response, we will have to recommend against Russian civilian flights over the Republic of South Sudan if its approaches fail to undergo drastic changes," Lukashevich said.
"This incident has once again highlighted the colossal responsibility that states hosting peacekeeping missions within the UN and other formats bear for maintaining security of these missions," he said.