Russian President Vladimir Putin extended an apology to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday following the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan, which claimed the lives of 38 people and left 29 others injured. The Embraer 190 aircraft, en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia, veered toward Kazakhstan and crashed near the city of Aktau on Wednesday while attempting an emergency landing.
In a statement, the Kremlin said Putin expressed his condolences to the victims' families and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. He explained that the crash occurred amid ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz, forcing Russian air defense systems to operate in the area.
“President Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and conveyed his deep condolences to the Azerbaijani people,” the statement read.
Conflicting reports surrounding crash
While Russia attributed the crash to the challenging circumstances caused by the Ukrainian drone strikes, international speculation hints at a graver possibility. On Friday, U.S. officials and an Azerbaijani minister suggested that an external weapon, possibly from Russian air defenses, may have caused the crash. However, Moscow has refrained from addressing these allegations.
The crash has prompted several airlines to suspend flights to Russian cities. Turkmenistan Airlines announced the suspension of its Ashgabat-Moscow route from December 30, 2024, to January 31, 2025, without citing a reason. Similarly, Flydubai suspended flights to southern Russian cities Mineralnye Vody and Sochi, citing safety concerns.
(Inputs from AP)
