Tragic Plane Crash and Apology from Vladimir Putin

In a recent unfortunate event, Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, referring to it as a “tragic incident.” This followed the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan, which claimed the lives of 38 people. The ill-fated flight was en route from Baku to Grozny, Chechnya’s capital, but diverted towards Kazakhstan, where it crashed during a landing attempt. There were 29 survivors from this tragic incident.

Azerbaijan Plane Crash Details

The mishap occurred on December 25, involving an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 aircraft. Initial reports detail that the plane attempted a diversion to Kazakhstan due to adverse weather conditions affecting its approach to Grozny. Eyewitness reports reveal passengers heard loud noises on board as the aircraft circled Grozny, before crashing near Aktau and bursting into flames.

Read more about how Azerbaijani plane pilots saved passengers while sacrificing their own lives.

Speculation and Investigation into Russian Involvement

There is ongoing speculation about possible involvement from Russian defense systems. The Kremlin has officially reported Russian air defense was active near Grozny because of a Ukrainian drone strike concurrent with the plane crash. However, they refrained from confirming if these systems were responsible for the tragic event.

Both a US official and an Azerbaijani minister have implied that external weaponry might be involved, highlighting the possibility that a Russian anti-aircraft system could have struck the Azeri plane. Initial investigations from Azerbaijan Airlines suggest “physical and technical external interference” might have contributed to the crash, with survivors recalling explosions during the flight.

Read more on how probe points to Russian air defenses causing Azerbaijan Airlines crash.

Call for Caution in Speculation

Russian officials have urged against immediate conclusions before the investigation’s completion. They emphasized that true causes will surface only after comprehensive analyses. President Aliyev also highlighted it is premature to speculate about the causes of the incident.

Explore further to see if Russia hit the Azerbaijan plane with a missile and Moscow’s response.