Dec 28, 2024 - World

Putin apologizes for "fact" that deadly Azerbaijan Airlines crash occurred

Lauren Floyd

Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet near the western Kazakh city of Aktau on Dec. 25. Photo: Issa Tazhenbayev/AFP via Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he apologized after the Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed en route to Grozny, Chechnya, killing 38 people and injuring 29 others on Christmas Day.

The big picture: Putin apologized in a phone call with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace," but the Russian president did not accept responsibility for the crash itself in a translated government news release.

The crash happened in Kazakhstan as flight J2-8243 was diverted en route from Baku, Azerbaijan's capital.

The latest: "During the conversation, it was noted that the Azerbaijani passenger aircraft, which was strictly on schedule, repeatedly attempted to land at the Grozny airport," Russian officials said in the release.

"At that time, Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were attacked by Ukrainian combat unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defense systems repelled these attacks."
Russia has opened an investigation into the crash and is "closely cooperating at the site of the disaster in the Aktau region," the government said.

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Putin apologizes for "fact" that deadly Azerbaijan Airlines crash occurred

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