Putin Apologizes for Azerbaijani Plane Crash in Kazakhstan Amid Rising Allegations

Following the Wednesday accident of an Azerbaijani aircraft in Kazakhstan that claimed 38 lives, Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to President Ilham Aliyev. Putin stopped short of acknowledging Russian guilt amid growing allegations that Russian air defenses unintentionally shot down the aircraft during attempts to counter a Ukrainian drone strike, even as he expressed sorrow.

After an abortive attempt to land, the plane veered off course and crashed close to Aktau, Kazakhstan, en route from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny in Chechnya. Of the 67 people on board—including crew—29 survived. Azerbaijani investigators noticed several holes in the fuselage and survivors claimed to have heard loud bangs mid-flight, in line with external damage.

Rosaviatsia, Russia's civil aviation agency, first said that a bird strike caused the incident. Later on, nevertheless, a Kremlin statement admitted that Russian air defenses were operational close to Grozny at the incident, aiming at Ukrainian drones in that vicinity.

Allegations from Azerbaijani officials, including President Aliyev, center "external physical and technical interference" as the most likely source. U.S. official and independent aviation experts claimed Russian missile fire caused the accident.

The allegations bring back memories of the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, where a Russian surface-to--air missile claimed 298 passenger deaths. Later, a Dutch court linked Russian-backed elements to that catastrophe.

Azerbaijan Airlines canceled flights to many Russian cities in reaction to the tragedy; subsequently, the suspension included eight more destinations. Other companies, alleging safety issues in Russian airspace, have followed suit including Israel's El Al, Turkmenistan Airlines, and Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air.

With the war in Ukraine spreading into more general geopolitical and civilian domains, the episode emphasizes continuing tensions in the area. It also begs issues regarding the safety of civilian flying in crisis areas, therefore reflecting past catastrophes.

Teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan will be involved in ongoing investigations to help to provide a fuller picture of the reason of this terrible disaster. Should claims of Russian responsibility prove valid, the episode runs the danger of souring Russia's relations with its neighbors and the world community even more.

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