Russia accepts responsibility for deadly plane crash, acknowledges air defense role
After months of tension, Baku and Moscow agree on compensation for December 25, 2024 air disaster
Azerbaijan and Russia announced on Wednesday that they have reached a settlement over the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash case, which includes compensation and an acknowledgment of responsibility by Russian air defense systems.
The agreement marks a significant step toward easing diplomatic tensions between Baku and Moscow, following Azerbaijan’s earlier accusations that Russia was responsible for the incident.
The crash occurred on December 25, 2024, when an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft flying from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to Grozny in the Russian republic of Chechnya deviated from its route and went down near Aktau in Kazakhstan, on the opposite side of the Caspian Sea. The accident claimed 38 lives out of the 67 people on board.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia deteriorated after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called on Moscow to take responsibility for the accidental downing of the aircraft during its approach to Grozny airport, reports Al-Rai daily.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministries of both countries confirmed that the tragedy resulted from an “unintentional act” involving a Russian air defense system operating in Russian airspace. They also confirmed that a compensation agreement had been reached, though no further details were disclosed.
The statement followed earlier discussions between President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
