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Putin Apologizes for Azerbaijan Plane Crash in Kazakhstan, 38 Dead Amid Russian Air Defense Actions

Dec 28, 2024, 11:01 PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev following the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 passenger plane in Kazakhstan on December 25 that killed at least 38 of the 69 people on board. According to a Kremlin statement, the plane was attempting to land in Grozny when Russian air defense systems were active to repel Ukrainian drone attacks near Chechnya. While Putin expressed regret over the "tragic incident" occurring in Russian airspace, he stopped short of accepting direct responsibility for the crash. Survivors reported hearing a loud bang before the plane went down, fueling speculation that it may have been inadvertently shot down by Russian defenses. The incident has prompted several airlines to suspend flights over Russian airspace amid safety concerns.