Putin Apologizes For Tragic Azerbaijan Airlines Crash

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has apologized for the fact that an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed after entering Russian airspace in Grozny, Chechnya on Wednesday, but did not say that Russia was responsible.

Putin said Saturday that Russia’s air defense systems were active when the plane attempted to land in Grozny, according to the Kremlin. Unable to reach the airport, the aircraft diverted east, eventually crashing near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people on board.

People from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were on board the plane. Among the survivors were two children.

It is unconfirmed what was behind the incident, but a US official told CNN on Thursday that early indications suggest a Russian anti-aircraft system may have downed the passenger jet. In his comments, Putin did not say that Russian air defenses hit the plane.

Putin “apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace” in a phone call with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Kremlin said that the plane “repeatedly attempted to land at the airport in Grozny” but at the same time, the areas of “Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were attacked by Ukrainian combat drones, and Russian air defense systems repelled these attacks.”

Russia’s investigative committee has opened a criminal case in relation to the disaster, the statement said.

CNN/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma