Putin Apologises For ‘Tragic Incident’ Amid Claims That Russia Shot Down Aircraft

Azerbaijan Plane Crash: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday extended an apology to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev for a “tragic incident” involving the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243. The passenger jet was reportedly downed by Russian air defences amidst attempts to counter Ukrainian drone attacks. The disaster claimed at least 38 lives, leaving 29 survivors.  

In a statement, the Kremlin conveyed, “(President) Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.” The call, initiated by Putin, also addressed the circumstances surrounding the crash, news agency Reuters reported.  

According to Reuters, the Kremlin detailed that during the time of the incident, “Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks.”  

The Embraer EMBR3.SA passenger jet was travelling from Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, to Grozny in Russia’s southern Chechnya region. The aircraft veered hundreds of miles off course, ultimately crashing in a fiery explosion near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after being diverted from southern Russia.  

Azerbaijan’s presidential office noted that the plane had been “subjected to external physical and technical interference in Russian airspace, resulting in a complete loss of control and redirection to the Kazakh city of Aktau.”

According to Reuters, preliminary investigations cited by four sources familiar with the probe revealed that Russian air defences had mistakenly shot down the aircraft.  

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Azerbaijan Plane Crash: Ukraine President Zelenskyy Asks Russia To Provide ‘Clear Explanations’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the incident on X (formerly Twitter), expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan. “I spoke to Ilham Aliyev and expressed condolences to him and the people of Azerbaijan regarding the tragic crash of flight J2-8243 of Azerbaijan Airlines. We acknowledged the heroism of the pilots and the entire crew of the aircraft,” Zelenskyy posted.  

Calling for accountability, Zelenskyy added, “The key priority now is a thorough investigation to provide answers to all questions about what really happened. Russia must provide clear explanations and stop spreading disinformation. Photos and videos clearly show the damage to the aircraft’s fuselage, including punctures and dents, which strongly point to a strike by an air defence missile.”  

Zelenskyy pledged Ukraine’s support, stating, “We will support Azerbaijan in this situation with all necessary means and call on other countries to assist as well. Additionally, we have agreed to intensify bilateral contacts in the near future.”