Putin Acknowledges Russian System Shot Down Azerbaijan Jet

On Oct. 9, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Russian missile defense systems caused the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 on Dec. 25, 2024, killing 38 people. Flight 4K-AZ65, carrying 62 passengers and five crew members, was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Chechnya, when it crashed in western Kazakhstan.

Putin made the admission during a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. “The two missiles that were launched did not directly hit the plane but exploded, possibly due to self-destruction, about ten meters away. That is why the destruction occurred: not from combat elements, but from the debris of the missiles,” he said.

He explained that the missiles were fired in response to Ukrainian drone activity near Grozny. After the initial impact, the aircraft attempted to land in Grozny but was diverted to Kazakhstan, where it ultimately crashed. Of those on board, 38 died and 29 survived.

Putin stated that Moscow would compensate the victims’ families and conduct a full investigation into the decisions that led to the incident. “It is our duty to give an objective assessment of everything that happened and to identify the true causes,” he said.

The crash followed months of Russian denials, straining Moscow-Baku relations. Azerbaijani officials and parliament members criticized Russia for deflecting responsibility, with some calling for severing diplomatic ties. The incident reignited historical grievances over Russia’s treatment of Azerbaijan and drew attention to Azerbaijan’s growing support for Ukraine.