MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he is responsible for Russia’s air defense. Azerbaijani jetliner shot down For the first time, he accepted responsibility for the December crash that killed 38 people in a bid to ease tensions between neighbors.
President Putin said that on December 25, 2024, a missile launched by Russia’s air defense forces targeting a Ukrainian drone exploded near an Azerbaijan Airlines plane from Baku that was preparing to land in Grozny, the regional capital of Russia’s Chechen Republic. Ukrainian drones regularly strike deep into Russia.
In a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, where he was attending a summit of former Soviet Union countries, President Putin promised to punish those responsible and provide compensation.
Azerbaijani authorities said the plane was accidentally hit by Russian fire and then crashed while attempting to land in western Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.
Days after the crash, President Putin apologized to Aliyev for what he called a “tragic incident,” but stopped short of accepting responsibility. On the other hand, Aliyev criticized Moscow He was accused of trying to “cover up” the incident.
The controversy over the crash has disrupted previously warm relations between Moscow and Baku. their relationship became even more unstable Azerbaijani death In June, police conducted round-ups in Russian cities, and Russian nationals were arrested one after another in Azerbaijan.
On Thursday, Putin said in a meeting with Aliyev that Russian air defenses targeting a Ukrainian drone opened fire on the Azerbaijani airliner because of a “technical failure,” adding that two missiles exploded just 10 meters (33 feet) from the plane.
“It is clear that the Russian side will do everything possible to provide compensation and legally evaluate the actions of all responsible officials,” he said.
“Of course, these words related to this tragedy are aimed at supporting the families, providing moral support, and do not solve the main problem. They cannot bring back to life those who died as a result of the tragedy,” Putin added.
He expressed hope to overcome tensions between the two countries and fully rebuild relations.
“We hope that cooperation between the two countries will not only be restored, but will continue in line with the spirit of bilateral relations and alliance,” he said.
Aliyev thanked President Putin for investigating the cause of the crash.
“I would like to thank you for taking the situation under personal control,” he said.
The Azerbaijani leader said he had the opportunity to discuss a “broad and positive” bilateral agenda and expressed hope that “the message we are sending today to our society will receive a positive response.”
