Putin apologizes to Ilham Aliyev over AZAL plane crash

On December 28, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, made a phone call to Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

According to Report, during the phone conversation, Vladimir Putin expressed his apologies regarding the tragic incident involving an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane operating the Baku-Grozny route on December 25, which was subjected to external physical and technical interference in Russian airspace. President Putin extended his deepest and most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the crash and wished a swift recovery to the injured.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane encountered external physical and technical interference while in Russian airspace, resulting in a complete loss of control. The Azerbaijani President noted that the aircraft was redirected to Kazakhstan's city of Aktau and was able to make an emergency landing solely due to the courage and professionalism of the pilots. The head of state highlighted that the multiple holes in the aircraft's fuselage, injuries sustained by passengers and crew due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight, and testimonies from surviving flight attendants and passengers confirm evidence of external physical and technical interference.

During their discussions, the heads of state emphasized the need for a thorough and comprehensive investigation into all the details of the tragedy, ensuring those responsible are held accountable.

President Ilham Aliyev announced that, at Azerbaijan's initiative, a team of international experts has been formed to investigate the causes of the accident in detail, and this team has already begun its work.

The heads of state also reaffirmed that the investigation into the tragedy will be conducted with full transparency, with regular updates provided to the public.