Putin Offers Apology to Azerbaijani President for Plane Crash
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a public apology to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev following the incident involving an Azerbaijani plane in Russian airspace. The conversation between the two leaders took place over the phone and was initiated by the Russian side.
The incident in question was the crash of an Azerbaijani Airlines passenger aircraft near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on December 25. The plane was attempting to land in Grozny amidst attacks by Ukrainian drones and operations by the Russian air defense system. Putin expressed his apologies to Aliyev and extended his condolences to the families of the victims of the crash.
The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case under Article 263 of the Criminal Code related to the violation of safety rules for air transport operation and use. Civilian and military specialists are currently being questioned, and two employees of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office are in Grozny collaborating with Russian authorities.
Representatives from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan are working closely together at the incident site near Aktau to gather more information and investigate the crash. The conversation between Putin and Aliyev highlighted the importance of cooperation and communication between the three countries in handling such incidents in the future.
