Desk:Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his apologies to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday following the tragic Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash earlier this week. The crash claimed the lives of at least 38 people, while 29 others survived.
In an official statement, the Kremlin conveyed Putin’s deep condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. The statement also revealed that the aircraft made several attempts to land at Grozny Airport. However, at the time, Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz were under Ukrainian drone attack, and Russian air defense systems were actively responding to the threat.
The crash occurred on Wednesday when flight J2-8243, en route from southern Russia, veered off course and crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Following the incident, multiple airlines have suspended flights to Russian cities.
Western experts and the United States suspect that the crash might have been caused by a missile fired from Russian air defense systems. Moscow has refused to comment on these allegations.
Meanwhile, Turkmenistan Airlines announced on Saturday that it has suspended regular flights between Ashgabat and Moscow from December 30, 2024, to January 31, 2025, without providing a specific reason.