The Grozny-bound Azerbaijan Airlines flight that tragically never arrived at its destination on Christmas Day 2024 was downed by Russian missiles, President Vladimir Putin revealed on Thursday. His admission finally sheds light on the disaster that claimed 38 lives.
In a frank discussion with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Putin detailed the circumstances of the “tragedy.” He explained that an air defense operation targeting Ukrainian drones went horribly wrong when the drones detonated “meters away” from the passenger jet, causing it to crash.
The flight had departed from Baku and was over Russian-patrolled airspace when it was hit. The crippled plane’s crash in Kazakhstan has been a central point of contention in the deteriorating relationship between Russia and Azerbaijan for the past ten months.
The revelation was met with a stark accusation from President Aliyev, who claimed Moscow had actively tried to “hush up” its responsibility. This charge, made at a regional summit in Dushanbe, reflects the profound mistrust that now defines their relations.
In an effort to address the grievance, Putin made a significant commitment. He assured Aliyev that Russia would not only provide financial compensation for the 38 fatalities but would also ensure a legal review of the officials who made the fatal error.