MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimiar Putin regretted ‘tragic incident’ as Kremlin Defenses mistakenly down Azerbaijan passenger jet, killing at least 38 people.
Putin issued a formal apology to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev for the tragic loss involving an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that was mistakenly shot down by air defenses. The crash was reported occurred earlier this week near Aktau, Kazakhstan, as the plane diverted from its flight path over southern Russia due to attacks by Ukrainian drones on several Russian cities.
The ill-fated jet crashed in a fiery explosion, and investigations suggest that Russian air defenses, which were activated to intercept the drone strikes, mistakenly targeted jet.
Moscow confirmed that country’s highest office issued condolences to the families of the victims and offered well wishes for the recovery of the injured. The statement also highlighted that Russian cities such as Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz were under attack from Ukrainian drones at the time of the incident, prompting air defense action.
President Aliyev acknowledged that plane was subjected to “external physical and technical interference” while in Russian airspace, which led to the loss of control and the plane’s redirection to Kazakhstan. The incident has sparked an investigation, and Putin’s apology was made at his own initiative.
This tragic event has raised significant concerns regarding the safety of civilian air travel amid ongoing military tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Dozens dead as Azerbaijan Airlines’ Russia-bound plane crashes in Kazakhstan
