Putin Apologizes to Azerbaijan for Downing Passenger Plane

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, apologized to Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, for the downing of a commercial passenger plane in Russian airspace that resulted in 38 deaths. However, he did not acknowledge that Russia was responsible for this 'tragic incident.' Meanwhile, Reuters reported, citing two passengers and a crew member from the ill-fated Azerbaijan Airlines flight, that they heard at least one loud explosion as the plane approached its initial destination. Flight 'J2-8243' of Azerbaijan Airlines crashed on Wednesday, January 5, after deviating from its original destination, Grozny; the capital of Chechnya, hundreds of miles away across the Caspian Sea near Aktau, Kazakhstan. As a result, at least 38 people were killed, and 29 survived. According to Reuters, Russian air defense systems in the area have been activated multiple times against Ukrainian drone attacks. One passenger told Reuters that after hearing the explosion, he thought the plane was going to crash and began to pray. Another passenger said he was terrified after hearing two loud explosions, and the flight attendant instructed passengers to move to the back of the plane. Both passengers reported that following the explosion, the cabin oxygen level became problematic. A flight attendant also told Reuters that the plane was unable to land due to foggy weather, and after the pilot decided to turn around, the explosions were heard. According to him, an object hit the left wing of the plane, three explosions were heard, and the cabin pressure dropped. Following this incident, Azerbaijan Airlines canceled several of its flights to Russian cities and stated that the incident occurred due to a 'foreign physical and technical intervention.' Reuters, citing four sources familiar with the findings of Azerbaijan's investigation into the incident, reported that Russian air defense systems mistakenly shot down the plane. Previously, Russia had stated that it was necessary to wait for the completion of the official investigation into the incident to determine exactly what happened. The role of Russian defense in the downing of the Azerbaijani plane; explanations by Hamid Mohammadi. Azerbaijani officials point the finger at Russia for the plane crash. Statement from the families of the victims of the Ukrainian flight regarding the downing of the Azerbaijani plane. An American official: Russian defense likely shot down the Azerbaijani plane. Increasing speculation about the cause of the deadly crash of the Azerbaijani plane. Reports: A military area in Russia caused the deviation of the Azerbaijani plane's route. Passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan; several passengers survived.