Russian President Vladimir Putin apologizes for Azerbaijan airlines plane crash that k!lled 38 people but doesn't accept responsibility

On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defence systems responding to a Ukrainian attack.

Passengers and crew who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it was circling over Grozny.

Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said on Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic.

 

Yadrov said that after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau.

Days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed “physical and technical interference” and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn’t say where the interference came from or provide any further details.

On Saturday Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, like Putin, he too had spoken with his Azerbaijani counterpart.

He posted on X: "Russia must provide clear explanations and stop spreading disinformation. Photos and videos clearly show the damage to the

aircraft’s fuselage, including punctures and dents, which strongly point to a strike by an air defence missile."