Headline:
Putin Offers Condolences for Azerbaijan Air Crash, Avoids Full Blame
Subhead:
Rusia President Acknowledges Tragedy but Links it to Ukrainian Drone Attack
Moscow – In a somber phone call, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, following the tragic crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane, which resulted in 38 fatalities. However, Putin was swift to distance Russia from full blame, citing a Ukrainian drone attack in the region.
As reported by The Telegraph, Putin made the call on Monday, December 30, 2024, to Aliyev. During the conversation, he offered his sympathies while explaining that Russian air defense units had responded to a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) incursion near the southern Russian city of Grozny, the intended destination of the ill-fated AZAL flight.
Putin’s statement, while acknowledging the tragedy, did not directly link it to the actions of Russian air defenses. Conversely, Azerbaijan has officially stated that Russia bears full responsibility for the incident.
"The damage to the plane’s fuselage and injuries sustained by passengers and crew were caused by foreign objects that entered the cabin during the flight," Aliyev stated, referencing eyewitness accounts from survivors and flight attendants that implicated external physical impact and technical disruptions.
Aliyev pressed Putin and related parties to accept responsibility. In response, Putin assured Aliyev that a criminal case has been opened by the Russian Investigative Committee and pledged transparent updates throughout the investigation. The White House had previously indicated that preliminary findings pointed to Russian air defense activities as the cause of the crash.
Historical parallels were drawn between this incident and the downing of MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2013, also linked to pro-Moscow separatists. The AZAL crash, though less deadly with 67 souls on board, has left Azerbaijan demanding answers andcompensation.
(wkn/ddn)
