Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a formal apology to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev following a tragic plane crash involving an Azerbaijani passenger aircraft.
According to reports from international news agencies, Putin expressed his condolences and regret during a phone call with Aliyev, addressing the incident that occurred within Russian airspace.
Putin explained that the Azerbaijani aircraft was attempting to land near Grozny when Russia’s air defense system was activated in response to a series of Ukrainian drone attacks. He clarified that the defense forces were engaged in countering the threats posed by these aerial assaults at the time of the crash.
The devastating accident claimed the lives of 38 passengers and left 29 others injured.
Earlier reports indicated that the Azerbaijani plane was forced to make an emergency landing in the Kazakh city of Aktau, where it tragically crashed.
Russian authorities have assured full cooperation with Azerbaijani officials to investigate the incident and prevent such occurrences in the future.
This diplomatic outreach comes as both nations work to manage the aftermath of the disaster while addressing safety and security concerns related to regional conflicts.
