Putin Apologizes for Azerbaijan Airlines Crash, but Stops Short of Admitting Russian Fault
On Christmas Day, a tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace when an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. The plane was on a scheduled flight from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, Russia, but was diverted after reportedly being hit by shrapnel from Russian air defense missiles while trying to land in Chechnya. The survivors recounted hearing loud explosions before the aircraft went down, sparking concerns that it was struck by a missile. While Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences for the tragedy, he stopped short of acknowledging that Russian forces were responsible for the crash.
In a phone conversation with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Putin apologized for the "tragic incident" and conveyed his deep condolences to the victims' families. However, he attributed the situation to the heightened tensions in the region, as Russian air defense systems were engaged in repelling Ukrainian drone attacks on nearby cities like Grozny. The Kremlin’s statement suggested that the plane had been affected by these air defense activities but did not confirm that a Russian missile had struck the plane.
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The crash occurred during a time when Russian air defense was actively intercepting Ukrainian drones, with reports indicating that the aircraft was targeted by external interference, potentially jamming its GPS systems. Survivors of the crash, along with experts, suggested that the plane was likely hit by fragments from Russian missile strikes. Despite these claims, neither the Kremlin nor Azerbaijan's officials have openly blamed Russia for the downing of the aircraft, though the Azerbaijan Transport Minister mentioned that the plane had suffered "external interference."
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of civilian air travel in regions involved in active military conflict. The U.S. Department of Defense also indicated that Russian air defense systems might have been to blame for the crash, echoing the concerns of Ukrainian officials. Meanwhile, an international investigation has been launched by the authorities of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan, in the hopes of shedding light on what truly happened that day.
This tragic event has drawn comparisons to previous incidents where civilian flights were targeted during armed conflicts, such as the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014. As international calls for a swift and independent investigation grow louder, the focus now is on ensuring accountability and understanding the full extent of the Russian military’s role in this devastating accident.
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