Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed regret over the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in Grozny, Chechnya, but stopped short of assigning blame to Russia. The crash occurred on Wednesday after the plane entered Russian airspace, killing 38 people.
According to the Kremlin, Putin acknowledged on Saturday that Russia’s air defense systems were active when the plane tried to land in Grozny. The aircraft, unable to reach the airport, diverted east and ultimately crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan. However, Putin did not state that Russian defenses were responsible for the incident.
While the cause remains unconfirmed, a U.S. official told CNN on Thursday that preliminary evidence suggests the passenger jet may have been downed by a Russian anti-aircraft system. The Kremlin reported that the plane “repeatedly attempted to land at the airport in Grozny” but noted simultaneous attacks by Ukrainian drones in areas around Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz, which Russian air defenses intercepted.
Russia’s investigative committee has launched a criminal probe into the disaster. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russian media of misrepresenting the incident. In a statement on Friday, he claimed Moscow “lied about the cause of the crash,” alleging that Russia “forced the damaged jet to cross the sea, most likely in an attempt to conceal evidence of their crime.”
The Kremlin has not confirmed these allegations, leaving the crash’s true circumstances unclear.
