On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crash-landed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, resulting in 38 deaths among the 67 on board. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev for the incident occurring in Russian airspace but did not accept formal responsibility. Putin noted the plane’s difficulties landing at Grozny due to ongoing attacks by Ukrainian drones, while suggesting the aircraft might have been mistaken for a drone by Russian defenses. Azerbaijan’s officials reported evidence of external interference causing the crash. An investigation is ongoing, with speculation that Russian missiles may have hit the airliner.
