Putin Issues Apology Days After Azerbaijani Plane Crash in Russian Airspace

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday issued an apology to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev following a tragic plane crash involving an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet. The crash, which occurred on Wednesday, resulted in a devastating loss of life.

Flight J2-8243 erupted into flames and crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, after diverting from its original route in southern Russia. The diversion was reportedly due to Ukrainian drone attacks on several Russian cities at the time. The accident claimed 38 lives, while 29 passengers survived.

In an official statement, the Kremlin said, “(President) Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.”

The Kremlin added that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, traveling on its scheduled route, had made multiple attempts to land at Grozny airport. During this time, Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz were reportedly under attack by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, prompting Russian air defense systems to engage.

The incident underscores the escalating risks in the region as the conflict impacts civilian aviation safety.

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Source: NDTV‍