In a rare public statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences to Azerbaijan over the tragic downing of an Azerbaijani commercial airliner, which resulted in the deaths of 38 people. However, Putin stopped short of directly taking responsibility for the incident, instead attributing it to the complexities of ongoing military operations in the region.

On December 25, the Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, en route from Baku to Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya, encountered difficulties while attempting to land. As the plane neared Chechnya’s capital, it came under fire from Russian air defense systems, which were engaged in repelling Ukrainian drone attacks in the region. The aircraft was forced to divert, eventually crash-landing near Aktau in Kazakhstan, where 38 of the 67 passengers on board were killed. The surviving passengers, many of whom were seated in the rear of the plane, were rescued from the wreckage.

Putin, speaking for the first time since the incident, expressed regret over the crash during a phone call with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. “Vladimir Putin apologised that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace,” read a statement from the Kremlin. He extended his “deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims” and wished a swift recovery to the injured. Putin also acknowledged the plane’s repeated attempts to land at Grozny airport before the tragic diversion, noting that the region was under attack by Ukrainian drones at the time, and that Russian air defense systems were actively engaged in countering the assault.

While Putin’s apology marked a rare moment of acknowledgment, the Kremlin’s statement made no direct admission that the plane had been struck by Russian missiles. This omission has sparked further questions and controversy, especially given the scale of the damage to the aircraft.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, responding to the Kremlin’s statement, emphasized the need for clarity and transparency. Zelensky suggested that the damage to the aircraft’s fuselage bore “striking similarities to an air defense missile strike.” He called on Russia to provide “clear explanations” regarding the incident. “The key priority now is a thorough investigation that will answer all questions about what really happened,” he stated, underlining the necessity for an independent and comprehensive probe into the cause of the crash.

The attack on the airliner occurred during heightened tensions in the region, where Russian air defenses were dealing with persistent drone strikes launched by Ukraine. Earlier in the week, Russian aviation authorities had described the situation as “very complicated” due to the ongoing conflict, with drone attacks intensifying in areas like Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz. Despite this, the Kremlin had refrained from commenting on the incident before Saturday, saying it was awaiting the results of an official investigation.

The flight, which had 67 people on board, was carrying mostly Azerbaijani nationals, but also passengers from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The incident has further strained relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, as both countries grapple with the aftermath of the crash and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The downing of the airliner has raised serious concerns about the safety of civilian air travel in conflict zones, particularly in regions where military operations are ongoing. As investigations continue, the world waits for definitive answers to the question of what caused this tragic incident in Russian-controlled airspace.