Putin Apologizes to Azerbaijan for Plane Crash Amid Drone Attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a rare public apology to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev after an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, following Russian air defense activity against Ukrainian drones.

The Kremlin expressed condolences but stopped short of admitting responsibility, despite Azerbaijan's assertion that the plane was subjected to external interference in Russian airspace.

The crash killed 38 people, with 29 survivors reporting a loud bang before the incident. The tragedy highlights the risks to civil aviation near conflict zones, drawing parallels to prior incidents involving civilian aircraft and military activity.