Putin Apologizes for Azerbaijan Airlines Crash

Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, which occurred on Christmas Day, killing 38 people. While acknowledging the tragic incident took place in Russian airspace, Putin stopped short of taking full responsibility, attributing the crash to Russian air defenses being activated to repel Ukrainian drone attacks at the time. Initial investigations suggest the plane may have been struck by a missile from Russia's Pantsir-S air defense system. Despite the Kremlin's apology, Azerbaijani officials have pointed fingers at Russian air defenses for their role in the crash. Putin's admission marks a significant shift from earlier claims that blamed external factors, such as a flock of birds, for the disaster. Investigations are ongoing, with both Russian and Azerbaijani authorities collaborating on the probe.