Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crashes Near Aktau; Russian Citizens Among Victims, Russia Sends Aid

Dec 25, 2024, 10:54 AM

On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, resulting in multiple fatalities. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev over the tragedy and stated that "An airplane of the Russian Emergencies Ministry with medical personnel and additional equipment is flying to the site of the tragedy." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also offered condolences to President Aliyev during a phone call. The Turkish Foreign Ministry and other officials conveyed their sympathies and readiness to provide support to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan during this difficult time. Russia's Foreign Ministry dispatched diplomats to Aktau to assist survivors and gather more information, noting that Russian citizens were on board the flight.