President Vladimir Putin has admitted that Russia’s air defences were responsible for downing an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane in December 2024, killing 38 people.
The admission came during a meeting with Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, where Putin promised compensation for the victims’ families.
The AZAL jet crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, while flying from Baku to Grozny. Investigatorns found it was hit by a Russian surface-to-air missile fired during drone activity over Chechnya. Despite severe damage, the pilots managed to save 29 passengers in a crash landing.
Azerbaijan had long accused Moscow of covering up the incident. Putin’s statement marks his first public acknowledgment of responsibility after months of diplomatic tension and threats of legal action from Baku.
