President Vladimir Putin’s confession of Russia’s role in a deadly 2024 plane crash has failed to immediately mend soured relations with Azerbaijan, whose leader accused Moscow of a cover-up. The dramatic diplomatic exchange unfolded at a summit in Dushanbe, highlighting the deep mistrust that now exists.
Putin acknowledged for the first time that Russian missiles had brought down the Azerbaijan Airlines jet, calling it a “tragedy.” He claimed the strike was an accident, occurring as air defenses targeted Ukrainian drones that allegedly detonated “meters away” from the plane, killing 38 people.
This admission comes ten months after the December 25, 2024, crash. The plane, en route from Baku to Grozny, fell from the sky over Kazakhstan. The incident has been the centerpiece of a significant diplomatic fallout between the two formerly close allies.
President Ilham Aliyev’s public rebuke, accusing Russia of trying to “hush up” the truth, demonstrated that the admission alone was insufficient. The relationship has been further damaged by other recent frictions, including arrests of each other’s citizens, creating a pattern of escalating tension.
While the confession may not have healed the rift, Putin did offer concrete reparations. He pledged that Russia would compensate the victims’ families for their loss and ensure a legal review of the officials responsible, a necessary step toward any potential reconciliation.