Putin Confirms Russian Missile Involvement in 2024 Azerbaijan Airlines Crash That Killed 38

Oct 09, 2025 09:41 pm CST

Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially admitted that Russian missiles exploding near an Azerbaijani passenger jet contributed to its crash in Kazakhstan in December 2024, which killed 38 people. Putin revealed that two missiles targeting Ukrainian drones detonated close to the aircraft, though not striking it directly. The admission comes after Azerbaijan's President Aliyev previously accused Russia of concealing the true cause of the tragedy, marking a significant diplomatic incident between the two nations.