Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally apologized to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev over a tragic incident involving an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which crash-landed on Wednesday near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The crash claimed at least 38 lives.
The Kremlin revealed on Saturday that Flight J2-8243, traveling from Baku to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya region, was forced to divert from its route amid Ukrainian drone attacks on southern Russia. Russian air defence systems, reportedly repelling the attacks, are believed to have mistakenly targeted the Embraer jet.
Passengers on board recalled hearing a loud bang before the crash, raising further questions about Moscow’s potential involvement. Despite sustaining severe damage, the aircraft managed to fly 280 miles (450 km) across the Caspian Sea before crash-landing.
During a phone call with President Aliyev, Putin expressed his deep regret over the incident. “President Putin apologized for the tragic incident in Russian airspace, extended sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and wished a swift recovery to the injured,” the Kremlin’s statement read.
The crash occurred as Russian cities Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz came under attack from Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. Russian air defence systems were actively responding to these threats at the time.
In the wake of the disaster, Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation. Until Saturday, the Kremlin had refrained from commenting on the incident, citing the need to await official findings.
This tragic event has intensified scrutiny on the escalating conflict and its unintended consequences, further highlighting the devastating impact on civilian aviation.
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