Overview

• In his first public admission, Putin told President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe that Russian air‑defence fire was responsible for the December 2024 disaster that killed 38 people.
• He said two missiles detonated about 10 meters from the Embraer E190 while targeting Ukrainian drones, and that fragments, not a direct hit, caused the fatal damage.
• Cockpit recordings indicated the crew initially believed they had struck birds, according to Putin, who added that compensation will be provided to victims’ families.
• The flight from Baku to Grozny diverted and crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, with 29 survivors; a Kazakh report cited external damage with fuselage punctures, and Reuters reported a recovered fragment consistent with a Russian Pantsir‑S missile.
• Moscow previously offered conflicting explanations, and while Aliyev thanked Putin for personal oversight, questions remain about accountability as the investigation nears completion.