A summit meeting between the leaders of Russia and Azerbaijan became a mix of olive branch and accusation over the 2024 downing of a passenger jet. President Vladimir Putin offered an admission and compensation, while President Ilham Aliyev accused him of a cover-up.
Putin, speaking on the record about the incident for the first time, acknowledged Russia’s role in the crash that killed 38 people. He called it a “tragedy” and said Russian missiles targeting Ukrainian drones inadvertently caused the disaster when the drones blew up “meters away” from the plane.
The Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed on December 25, 2024. For ten months, its destruction has been a source of deep animosity, contributing to the souring of a once-strong relationship between Moscow and Baku. The plane went down in Kazakhstan while trying to land after being hit.
Aliyev’s accusation that Russia tried to “hush up” the matter, delivered during the meeting in Tajikistan, indicates that the diplomatic wound is still fresh. It reflects a perception in Azerbaijan that Moscow has acted in bad faith throughout the ordeal.
Putin’s offer included a pledge of “adequate compensation” for the victims’ families and a promise of a legal review into the officials responsible. These steps are seen as a critical test of Russia’s sincerity in moving past the tragic event.
An Olive Branch and an Accusation: The Russia-Azerbaijan Crash Summit
