Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to Azerbaijan for the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in Russian airspace, a tragic incident that claimed the lives of 38 people. However, Putin refrained from directly acknowledging Russia’s responsibility for the crash.
The commercial airliner, carrying 67 passengers, was reportedly struck by Russian air defense systems on Christmas Day as it attempted to land in Chechnya. Diverting across the Caspian Sea, the plane crash-landed in Kazakhstan, leaving 29 survivors.
In his first public comments on the incident, Putin described it as a “tragic incident” that occurred during active Russian air defense operations repelling Ukrainian drone attacks in the region. The Kremlin stated that Putin expressed his condolences to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in a phone call on Saturday.
“President Vladimir Putin apologized for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured,” the Kremlin statement read.
The incident has raised international concerns. Survivors reported hearing loud bangs before the crash, indicating possible missile interference. Aviation experts in Azerbaijan suspect that GPS jamming and shrapnel from Russian air defense missiles may have damaged the plane.
Azerbaijan’s transport minister previously stated that the plane encountered “external interference” while attempting to land. Meanwhile, U.S. defense officials on Friday said they believed Russian forces were responsible for the crash.
The Kremlin’s statement acknowledged that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had tried multiple times to land at Grozny airport in Chechnya on December 25. At the time, Russian air defense systems were actively countering Ukrainian drone attacks in Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz.
Both Russian and Azerbaijani authorities have launched investigations into the crash, as international attention continues to focus on the incident’s circumstances.
