PUTIN CALLS ALIYEV OVER AZERBAIJANI PLANE CRASH IN KAZAKHSTAN, APOLOGISES FOR INCIDENT

MOSCOW, Dec 28 (Bernama-AA) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday had a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about this week’s Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan, offering an apology and condolences, Anadolu Agency reported.

“Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin highlighted that the Azerbaijani passenger aircraft had made multiple attempts to land in the city of Grozny, Chechnya, at a time when Russian air defence systems were actively responding to a Ukrainian drone attack.

He told Aliyev that the Russian Investigative Committee had initiated a case under Article 263 of the Criminal Code, which covers violations of air traffic safety and operational rules.

“Preliminary investigative actions are underway, with civilian and military specialists being consulted,” the statement added.

On Wednesday, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to Grozny crashed near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors among the 67 on board.

Two representatives from Azerbaijan's General Prosecutor's Office are currently in Grozny, collaborating with Russian officials from the General Prosecutor's Office and the Investigative Committee.

Various services from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan are coordinating closely at the crash site near Aktau to manage the aftermath of the disaster.

Separately, the Azerbaijani Presidency’s press service confirmed that Putin had called Aliyev to express his apologies for the tragic incident.

According to the statement, Aliyev stressed that the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane had faced external physical and technical interference while in Russian airspace, specifically over Chechnya.

This interference caused the aircraft to lose complete control, forcing it to divert to Aktau, Kazakhstan, where it managed a crash landing thanks to the exceptional courage and professionalism of the pilots, the statement read.

The Azerbaijani president highlighted key evidence of interference — numerous holes in the aircraft’s fuselage, passengers and crew injured by penetrating particles during the flight, and statements from the team and survivors — which together established the occurrence of external interference.

During their discussion, the two leaders agreed on the need for a comprehensive investigation into the tragic crash and the importance of ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.

Aliyev noted that, at Azerbaijan's initiative, a delegation of international experts had been assembled to thoroughly investigate the causes of the incident and had already begun its work.

Both presidents underscored their commitment to a transparent investigation process, vowing to keep the public regularly informed of its progress and findings.

-- BERNAMA-AA