Putin Apologizes Over Horrific Plane Crash On Christmas Day

Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to the president of Azerbaijan for the fiery crash of an Azerbaijan airline over Russian airspace.

In his statement on the Christmas Day crash, Putin shared the plane crash occurred when “Russian air defense systems were repelling Ukrainian drones.”

He, however, did not admit Russia was responsible for the crash.

The Azerbaijan Airlines jet came under fire by Russian air defense systems as it tried to land in Chechyna, forcing it to divert its route over teh Caspian Sea.

The jet soon crashed near Aktau, killing 38 of 67 people on board.

Putin apologises for plane crash, without saying Russia at fault https://t.co/gi3i42AN2g

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 28, 2024

Per BBC:

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan over the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, in which 38 people were killed – but stopped short of saying Russia was responsible.

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In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the “tragic incident” had occurred when Russian air defence systems were repelling Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine’s President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must “stop spreading disinformation” about the strike.

The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence as it tried to land in the Russian region of Chechnya – forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea.

The Azerbaijan Airlines jet then crash-landed near Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 on board.

Most of the passengers on the flight were from Azerbaijan, with others from Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
It is believed most of those who survived were seated in the plane’s rear.

Flight J2-8243 had been en route from the Azerbaijan capital of Baku to the Chechen capital of Grozny on 25 December when it came under fire and was forced to divert.

The Kremlin released a statement on Saturday noting Putin had spoken to Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev by phone.

Putin apologizes to Azerbaijani leader for ‘tragic incident’ involving plane crash that killed 38 people https://t.co/NXlXwfKaL3 pic.twitter.com/DfHBZBXL5D

— New York Post (@nypost) December 28, 2024

Per The New York Post:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to Azerbaijan’s president for the “tragic incident” in Russian airspace where an Azerbaijani plane crashed in Kazakhstan and killed 38 people — but did not admit Moscow was responsible for the deaths.

The doomed Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 was heading on Wednesday from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, when it turned toward Kazakhstan.

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The jet crashed and exploded in a fireball while trying to land at an airport near Aktau.