Ten months after a devastating plane crash claimed 38 lives, Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken his silence, admitting for the first time that Russia played a role in the downing of an Azerbaijani passenger plane. The long-awaited acknowledgment came during a summit of Soviet nations in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where Putin met with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev.
The December 25, 2024, crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines jet has been a major point of contention between Moscow and Baku. Putin, labeling the incident a “tragedy,” offered an explanation, stating that Russian missiles were launched to counter a threat from Ukrainian drones. He claimed these drones exploded in close proximity—mere “meters away”—from the commercial airliner, causing it to crash.
The flight, which was traveling from Baku to Grozny, was struck by what Azerbaijani authorities had long suspected was accidental fire from Russian air defenses. The crippled plane tragically went down in western Kazakhstan while attempting an emergency landing. The incident resulted in the death of 38 of the 67 passengers and crew on board.
President Aliyev did not mince words during the meeting, criticizing Moscow for what he described as an attempt to “hush up” the truth behind the disaster. The incident has severely damaged diplomatic relations, which were further frayed by subsequent issues involving ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russia and the arrest of Russian citizens in Azerbaijan.
Responding to the criticism, President Putin promised comprehensive action. He committed to providing suitable compensation for the victims and ensuring that a legal review would be conducted to scrutinize the actions of the officials responsible for the air defense operation that day.