In a move that could pave the way for justice for 38 plane crash victims, Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted Russia’s role in the 2024 incident and pledged full compensation. The breakthrough came ten months after the tragedy during a direct conversation with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in Tajikistan.
Putin publicly labeled the crash a “tragedy” and attributed it to a fatal miscalculation. According to his account, Russian missiles targeting Ukrainian drones inadvertently caused the demise of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight when the drones exploded extremely close to the aircraft. This is the first time Russia has officially accepted blame.
The passenger jet crashed on December 25, 2024, while flying to Grozny from Baku. It was struck by what was believed to be Russian air defense munitions and went down in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. The lack of answers from Moscow had, until now, left victims’ families in limbo.
Despite Putin’s admission and pledge, the atmosphere was thick with tension. President Aliyev of Azerbaijan openly accused Russia of a cover-up, stating Moscow had tried to “hush up” the incident. This charge reflects the deep sense of betrayal felt in Baku and the damage done to bilateral relations.
Beyond the promise of compensation, Putin also assured Aliyev that there would be accountability. He stated that Russia would initiate a legal review of the officials whose actions led to the downing of the passenger plane, a critical step toward closure for the families affected by the disaster.