Putin admits Russian responsibility in 2024 Azerbaijani plane crash that left 38 dead

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday publicly acknowledged for the first time that Russia was involved in the 2024 crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet, calling the incident a “tragedy.”

The crash, which claimed 38 lives, occurred when Russian missiles detonated near the aircraft during an anti-drone operation. Speaking during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Putin revealed that Russian forces had launched missiles to intercept Ukrainian drones on the morning of the crash. However, the missiles exploded just a few meters from the Azerbaijani plane, leading to the fatal accident.

“Russia will take all necessary measures to provide compensation to the victims’ families. The actions of all officials involved will be thoroughly investigated and legally assessed,” Putin said, expressing regret over the loss of life.

The admission marks the first official confirmation from Moscow of its role in the incident, which had strained relations between Russia and Azerbaijan and drawn international scrutiny.