Putin Offers Apology for Kazakhstan Plane Crash, but Falls Short of Acknowledging Russian Responsibility
Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, for the "tragic incident" involving the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan, which resulted in the deaths of 38 people ¹. However, Putin stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible for the crash.
The apology came amid mounting allegations that the plane was shot down by Russian air defenses attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. An official Kremlin statement revealed that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner attempted to land there, but it did not explicitly state that one of these hit the plane.
Putin's conversation with Aliyev was a significant development in the aftermath of the crash. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," although he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses ¹.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with Russia launching a criminal probe and Azerbaijani state prosecutors arriving in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin has also stated that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan.
Passengers and crew who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it was circling over Grozny. The plane's fuselage was also found to have multiple holes, and occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight" ¹.
Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, revealed that Ukrainian drones were targeting Grozny as the plane was preparing to land, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. After the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau ¹.
The crash has sparked widespread concern and outrage, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the incident. The US and Azerbaijani officials have blamed the crash on an external weapon, echoing the claims of aviation experts who believe that Russian air defense systems were responsible ¹.
Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to several Russian airports, citing "physical and technical interference" as the reason for the crash. The company has not provided further details on the source of the interference.
As the investigation continues, the international community remains vigilant, awaiting the truth about the circumstances surrounding the tragic crash.
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