President Vladimir Putin has conveyed his apologies to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev regarding the recent crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft, which tragically took place in Russian airspace on Christmas Day, resulting in the loss of 38 lives. While expressing his condolences, Putin refrained from accepting responsibility for the incident, which occurred amidst heightened military activity involving Russian air defense systems repelling Ukrainian drone attacks.
Putin Expresses Regret Over Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash
Putin Expresses Regret Over Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash
In a phone call to Azerbaijan’s president, Putin offered condolences following a tragic air incident that resulted in 38 fatalities, without acknowledging Russia's fault.
The ill-fated flight, which had attempted to land in Chechnya, was reportedly struck by fire from Russian defense systems, compelling it to divert. This diversion led to a crash landing in Kazakhstan, claiming the lives of 38 out of the 67 people aboard. Following the crash, the Kremlin acknowledged that Russian investigators have initiated a criminal probe into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Formerly, Azerbaijani officials hinted at "external interference" contributing to the mishap, while US defense sources indicated Russia's involvement in the downing. Thus far, while Moscow is conducting its investigation, Azerbaijan has also committed to a thorough inquiry as further developments unfold.
