Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev over the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace on Christmas Day, which resulted in the deaths of 38 people. However, Putin refrained from directly acknowledging Russia’s responsibility for the incident.
In his first remarks following the tragedy, Putin described the event as a “tragic incident,” noting that it occurred while Russian air defence systems were responding to Ukrainian drone attacks. The Azerbaijan Airlines jet was en route from Baku to Grozny when it was forced to divert, leading to a crash-landing near Aktau in Kazakhstan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Russia to stop spreading misinformation regarding the strike and urged for a thorough investigation. The plane was believed to have been struck by Russian air defence systems as it attempted to land in Chechnya, forcing it to alter course and fly across the Caspian Sea.
The flight, J2-8243, had 67 people on board, with passengers from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Most of the casualties were from Azerbaijan. The survivors, believed to be seated at the rear of the plane, narrowly escaped as the aircraft crash-landed.
The Kremlin issued a statement confirming that Putin had called President Aliyev to offer his apology for the incident, which occurred in Russian airspace. Putin conveyed his deep condolences to the victims’ families and wished the injured a swift recovery. The Kremlin also acknowledged that the plane had attempted to land at Grozny airport several times before the tragedy occurred.
At the time of the crash, several cities in the region, including Grozny, were under attack by Ukrainian drones, and Russian air defences had been actively repelling these assaults. The statement did not, however, confirm that the plane was hit by Russian missiles.
In response to the Kremlin’s statement, Ukrainian officials suggested that the damage to the plane’s fuselage was indicative of an air defence missile strike, calling for clear explanations from Russia. Zelensky emphasized the importance of a comprehensive investigation to clarify the events surrounding the incident.
Previously, the Kremlin had remained silent on its involvement, awaiting the results of an investigation. However, Russian aviation experts and authorities had acknowledged the challenging conditions in the region due to ongoing Ukrainian drone strikes. Some experts in Azerbaijan believe the plane’s GPS systems were disrupted by electronic jamming before the aircraft was struck by shrapnel from air defence missile blasts.
Several survivors reported hearing loud bangs before the crash, which suggests the plane may have been targeted.
While Azerbaijan has not formally blamed Russia, its transport minister stated that the plane had been subjected to “external interference” as it tried to land, and that it had sustained significant damage. US defence officials also indicated that they believed Russia was responsible for the downing.
BBC News Reports, that both Russian and Azerbaijani authorities have launched criminal investigations, with agencies from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia working together at the crash site in Kazakhstan’s Aktau region.
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As the investigation continues, several Azerbaijani airlines have suspended flights to Russia, with the suspension remaining in effect until the investigation is completed.
