During a meeting in Dushanbe with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly commented for the first time on the circumstances of the crash of an AZAL passenger aircraft that was shot down in December 2024 over Russian territory.
According to Putin, the tragedy occurred “in part due to the presence of a Ukrainian drone in the sky.” He stated that on the day of the incident, the Russian military “was tracking three Ukrainian drones that crossed the Russian border,” and that two missiles launched by Russia’s air defense system “did not hit the AZAL aircraft directly but exploded a few meters away.”
Putin admitted that the passenger plane was struck by debris, not by the warheads themselves. He said the AZAL crew had been offered an emergency landing in Makhachkala but chose to continue toward their home airport in Baku.
The Russian president said that the causes of the crash became clear “after a thorough analysis” and promised that Moscow “will provide a legal assessment of the actions of all officials involved” and ensure compensation for the families of the victims. He also reiterated his “sincere condolences to the families of the victims” and reminded Aliyev that he had already officially apologized for the tragedy.
Putin added that completing the investigation “will take time,” but that Russia “is providing full assistance to Azerbaijan in the ongoing inquiry.”
On December 20, 2024, an AZAL passenger plane (Baku–Moscow flight) was shot down over Dagestan by Russian air defense missiles. There were 82 passengers and 9 crew members on board; all were killed. At the time, Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that the air defense system had fired at “a target resembling a drone,” but the missiles struck the civilian airliner.
The disaster triggered a major diplomatic crisis between Moscow and Baku. Azerbaijan demanded official apologies and a full investigation. Russia only partially acknowledged responsibility, calling the incident “a tragic coincidence amid increased Ukrainian drone activity.”