Putin Pledges Compensation for Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash

Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally pledged to provide compensation for the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash that occurred in Kazakh airspace last December, marking a significant step toward resolving the diplomatic tension between Moscow and Baku. The commitment came during bilateral discussions with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, where both leaders are attending a Commonwealth of Independent States summit.

President Putin confirmed that the official investigation into the December 25, 2024 incident is approaching its final stages, with Russia providing comprehensive assistance to the probe. He indicated that a legal assessment would be conducted regarding the actions of all officials involved in the incident. The AZAL flight crash resulted in 38 fatalities among the 67 passengers and crew members aboard, creating what the Kremlin previously described as a "difficult period" in Russo-Azerbaijani relations.

The Russian leader provided detailed technical explanations for the tragedy, citing two primary factors. He mentioned the presence of Ukrainian drones in Russian airspace on the night of the incident as one contributing element, while identifying "technical failures" in Russia's air defense system as the second key factor. Putin clarified that the two missiles launched by Russian defenses did not directly strike the aircraft but detonated several meters away, suggesting that "the damage occurred, but not primarily from the warheads, but most likely from debris from the missiles themselves."

President Aliyev acknowledged Putin's personal oversight of the investigation, expressing confidence in its objectivity. The meeting represents a diplomatic thaw after months of tension following the crash. Previously, Aliyev had publicly accused Russia of unintentionally shooting down the civilian aircraft and urged Moscow to accept responsibility, punish those responsible, and provide appropriate compensation. In July, Azerbaijan indicated it would "apply to international justice" regarding the incident, with the Kremlin acknowledging Baku's right to pursue legal action while awaiting official verdicts.