Putin apologizes over Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, says ‘tragic incident’ occurred as Russia repelled Ukrainian drone attack
Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev over the December 25 Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash that claimed 38 lives, the Kremlin’s press service reported.
During Saturday’s call, which the Russian side initiated, Putin acknowledged that the “tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace” and extended condolences to the victims’ families. According to the Kremlin, Putin stated that the flight from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, in Russia’s Chechnya, had made “several attempts to land at the airport in Grozny.”
Putin reportedly noted that Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian drones at the time, which Russian air defense systems were actively working to repel.
The Kremlin did not specify the cause of the crash but noted that Russia’s Investigative Committee had opened a criminal case into violations of air traffic safety rules and that both civilian and military experts were being questioned.
Later, the Azerbaijani president’s office released its account of the conversation. According to its statement, Putin apologized for the fact that, on December 25, the plane traveling from Baku to Grozny “was subjected to external physical and technical interference in Russian airspace, resulting in the tragic incident.”
Aliyev reportedly told Putin that the plane’s fuselage showed “numerous punctures” and that passengers and crew members had “sustained injuries in the air from foreign particles that pierced the aircraft’s shell and entered the cabin.” He added that statements from surviving flight attendants and passengers supported the claim that external interference caused the crash.
“The heads of state discussed the importance of conducting a thorough investigation into the tragedy and holding those responsible accountable,” the Azerbaijani president’s office said.
An Azerbaijan Airlines plane traveling from Baku to Grozny crashed Wednesday morning near Aktau in western Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Euronews and Reuters, citing sources in the Azerbaijani government, reported that the crash was caused by a Russian air defense system. Euronews stated that a missile was fired at the plane during “drone activity” over Grozny and detonated near the aircraft, damaging its structure.
The Russian authorities have not confirmed these claims. Two days after the crash, the head of Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) said Grozny was under a drone attack as the plane attempted to land. He stated that the crew had been offered alternative airports in Russia but chose to divert to Aktau. However, Azerbaijani government sources told Euronews that the damaged plane was denied permission to land at any Russian airport, despite the pilots requesting an emergency landing.
Kazakhstani Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, who is leading the government commission investigating the crash, said on December 28 that experts believe the plane sustained damage outside Kazakhstan’s airspace. Forensic, ballistic, and explosive analyses have been commissioned to determine “when and what caused the explosion.”
Shortly after the crash, foreign airlines began suspending flights to Russian cities. Azerbaijan Airlines halted flights to ten Russian destinations, including Grozny, Makhachkala, and Sochi. Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air suspended its Astana–Yekaterinburg route, while Flydubai canceled flights from Dubai to Sochi and Mineralnye Vody. Israel’s national carrier, El Al, also suspended flights to Russia.
Meduza survived 2024 thanks to its readers!
Let’s stick together for 2025.
The world is at a crossroads today, and quality journalism will help shape the decades to come. Real stories must be told at any cost. Please support Meduza by signing up for a recurring donation.