Putin Apologizes to Azerbaijan for Deadly Airliner Crash, But Stops Short of Taking Blame
Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to Azerbaijan’s president for the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, which killed 38 people. However, he did not directly accept responsibility for the incident.
In his first statement regarding the Christmas Day crash, Putin described it as a “tragic incident” that occurred while Russian air defense systems were countering Ukrainian drones. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Russia to stop spreading false information about the strike.
The plane was reportedly hit by Russian air defense while attempting to land in Chechnya, forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea before crash-landing in Kazakhstan.
Of the 67 people on board, 38 were killed, with most passengers from Azerbaijan, along with others from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Putin spoke with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev by phone and expressed condolences, acknowledging the plane’s repeated attempts to land in Chechnya.
He explained that Ukrainian drones were attacking nearby cities at the time, and Russian air defense systems were responding to those threats. However, the Kremlin did not confirm that Russian missiles hit the plane.
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Ukrainian President Zelensky called for a clear explanation from Russia, stating the damage to the aircraft resembled an air defense missile strike. He emphasized the importance of a full investigation into the incident.
While Russia had previously refrained from confirming its involvement, Russian aviation authorities had earlier mentioned the region’s “complicated” situation due to Ukrainian drone attacks. Experts in Azerbaijan suspect the plane’s GPS was jammed and that it was struck by shrapnel from Russian missile defense.
Azerbaijan had not officially blamed Russia but noted that the plane suffered “external interference” as it tried to land. US defense officials also indicated that Russia might be responsible for the downing.
Russian investigators have launched a criminal investigation, and Azerbaijan has initiated its probe. Authorities from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia are collaborating at the crash site in Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, several Azerbaijani airlines have suspended flights to Russia until the investigation is completed.
Putin Apologizes to Azerbaijan for Deadly Airliner Crash, But Stops Short of Taking Blame
