Russian leader Vladimir Putin told his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, on Saturday that Russian air defense systems were active when an Azerbaijani Airlines plane attempted to land in Grozny before it crashed, according to the Kremlin.
Putin called Aliyev as speculation grew that Russian air defense may have accidentally shot down the plane, which crashed in western Kazakhstan earlier this week, killing 38 people.
Putin told Aliyev that the plane had tried to land in Grozny "several times" and that "during this time, Grozny, the town of Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian combat drones, and Russian air defense was repelling these attacks."
Azerbaijan's leader Ilham Aliyev told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the plane was first hit by "external physical and technical interference" over Russia.
"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," Baku's presidency said in a statement.
It added Aliyev "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."
The Russian leader did not take responsibility for the crash, but he apologized to Aliyev for the incident occurring in Russian airspace.
"Vladimir Putin offered his apologies for the tragic incident occurring in Russia's airspace and again expressed his deep and genuine condolences to the families of the deceased, wishing a swift recovery to those affected," the statement read.
The Kremlin said the two leaders had discussed the details of the crash "in depth."
It also emphasized that Russia was "closely" cooperating with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan regarding the incident.
The European Union's top diplomat on Saturday called for a "swift, independent" probe into the Azerbaijan Airlines crash.
"I call for a swift, independent international investigation," Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign affairs chief, wrote on social media platform X.
She said the incident was a "stark reminder" of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired by Russia-backed rebels over eastern Ukraine in 2014.
"Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims. I wish for a speedy recovery to the injured," Kallas said.
With AFP
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