Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a formal apology to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev for a devastating “tragic incident” in Russian airspace that resulted in the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet and the loss of at least 38 lives.
The Embraer EMBR3.SA jet, operating as Flight J2-8243, crashed in a fiery explosion near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Christmas Day after diverting from its planned route in southern Russia.
Ukrainian drone attacks were reportedly underway in several Russian cities at the time, prompting the use of Russian air defence systems.
According to four sources familiar with Azerbaijan’s preliminary investigation, Russian air defences mistakenly shot down the plane during the chaos. The Kremlin confirmed that Ukrainian drones were attacking areas including Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz, leading to defensive measures that may have caused the disaster.
“At that time, Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks,” the Kremlin stated.
The Kremlin announced that the apology came during a phone call initiated by Mr. Putin. “President Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured,” the statement read.
President Ilham Aliyev noted that the aircraft had been subjected to “external physical and technical interference in Russian airspace,” causing it to lose control and veer toward Kazakhstan.
The flight had originally departed from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, and was en route to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya region. It inexplicably crossed hundreds of miles over the Caspian Sea before crashing near Aktau.
This tragic incident highlights the growing risks to civilian aviation in regions affected by escalating military tensions. It also underscores the dangers posed by air defence systems operating during drone warfare.
Further investigations are underway to determine the precise sequence of events, while families of the victims await answers and justice.
Accreditation: AFP
