Russian President Vladimir Putin has informed Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev that Russian air defence systems were operational when an Azerbaijani Airlines plane attempted to land in Grozny before tragically crashing in western Kazakhstan earlier this week, killing 38 people.
The Kremlin released a statement on Saturday following a call between the two leaders. Speculation has grown that Russian air defence systems may have inadvertently caused the crash.
Putin explained that the plane made several landing attempts in Grozny during a period when Ukrainian combat drones were attacking Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz. Russian air defences were actively repelling these strikes at the time.
The Russian president did not directly accept responsibility for the crash but apologized to Aliyev, expressing sorrow that the incident occurred in Russian airspace.
“Vladimir Putin presented his apologies that the tragic incident happened in Russia’s airspace and again expressed his deep condolences to the families of the deceased, wishing a quick recovery to the injured,” the Kremlin statement read.
Putin and Aliyev reportedly discussed the circumstances of the plane crash in detail. The Kremlin emphasized close cooperation with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to determine the cause of the tragedy.
Azerbaijani officials have suggested the plane may have been struck mid-air, while U.S. authorities have reported early indications that Russian air defence systems could have been involved.