Putin admits Russia shot down Azerbaijan Airlines plane, killing 38

Putin Admits Russian Air Defences Downed Azerbaijan Plane

Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly admitted that his country’s air defence systems were responsible for the shooting down of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane on Christmas Day in Kazakhstan, an incident that killed all 38 people on board. Putin made the confession during a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, where both leaders were attending a summit of former Soviet nations. This admission marks a major shift, as Putin had previously only offered an apology for the “tragic incident” without accepting direct responsibility.

Pledge for Compensation and Accountability

During the meeting, Putin expressed regret and assured Aliyev that Russia would take full responsibility. He stated that Russia would provide the necessary compensation to the families of the victims. Furthermore, he pledged a full and objective investigation, assuring that a “legal assessment of all official things will be given” and that the true causes would be identified. The two leaders were seen shaking hands and smiling before the formal discussion about the crash began.

The Cause of the Crash

Putin explained that the airliner was accidentally struck while Russian air defences were actively targeting a Ukrainian drone. The missiles, intended for the drone, exploded near the Azerbaijan Airlines plane—Flight J2-8243—as it was preparing to land in Grozny, the regional capital of Chechnya. Ukrainian drones have regularly been reported to strike deep inside Russian territory, and Chechen air defences were on high alert at the time of the incident.

Controversy and Initial ‘Hush-Up’ Accusations

The plane, flying from Baku, was hit and subsequently attempted to land before crashing near Aktau airport in Kazakhstan. Initial reports from the Azerbaijani government indicated the plane was hit by “external interference” and mentioned drone activity over Grozny. President Aliyev himself had previously criticised Moscow for attempting to “hush up” the incident in the months following the crash. A preliminary investigation report had found fragments of “foreign metal objects” inside the wreckage, pointing towards external damage to the aircraft’s stabilisers and hydraulic systems, details now confirmed by Putin’s admission