In a joint statement issued by the foreign ministries of Russia and Azerbaijan, it was announced that the consequences of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane crash in December 2024 have been "properly settled." The document states that the aircraft crashed as a result of "accidental action by an air defense system on Russian territory," and the issue of compensation has been resolved, although specific amounts were not disclosed.

The Embraer E190 aircraft, operating a flight from Baku to Grozny, crashed on December 25, 2024, in Aktau, Kazakhstan. The disaster resulted in 38 fatalities and 29 survivors. Initial reports indicated that the plane was unable to land in Grozny due to Ukrainian drone attacks on Caucasus regions and was redirected to Kazakhstan. Following the crash, numerous bullet marks were found on the fuselage.

This incident triggered a significant crisis in relations between Moscow and Baku, with Azerbaijan demanding that Russia acknowledge responsibility for the accident. In October 2025, Vladimir Putin admitted that the AZAL plane was attacked by a Russian air defense system, and during a meeting with Ilham Aliyev, he claimed that the crash was caused by a "technical malfunction," with two missiles failing to hit the plane directly and exploding ten meters away.

The current statement formalizes an agreement between the two countries, but debates over the causes of the crash and accountability persist. The event has had a notable impact on regional security and diplomatic ties, exacerbating tensions and Azerbaijan's distrust toward Russia.

Source: kun.uz