Putin admits Russian fault in Azerbaijani plane crash that killed 38 in Kazakhstan

German Press Agency

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has for the first time acknowledged that the crash of an Azerbaijani passenger plane last December was caused by Russian air defense mistakes and promised compensation.

“Of course, in such tragic cases, Russia will do everything necessary regarding compensation, and there will be a legal assessment of the actions of all those responsible,” Putin said at a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Tajikistan.

The crash in Kazakhstan killed 38 people. There were 29 survivors at the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on the Caspian Sea.

According to Kremlin statements, Putin said the investigation had concluded that two factors led to the accident: the presence of a Ukrainian drone in the air and a technical malfunction in Russia’s missile defense system.

Two missiles exploded close to the aircraft, showering it with fragments but without a direct hit, he said.

The Azerbaijan Airlines flight from Baku was bound for Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, where Russian air defense units were active amid Ukrainian drone attacks.

Despite sustaining damage, the plane continued over the Caspian Sea but crashed while attempting an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan.

Shortly after the incident, the Kremlin said Putin had apologized to Aliyev in a phone call. Aliyev had demanded an admission of guilt and warned that Azerbaijan could bring the case before international courts.

Putin is in Tajikistan on a multi-day state visit. A summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which includes Azerbaijan, is scheduled to take place in Dushanbe on Friday.