Overview

• The statement attributes the December crash of an Azerbaijan passenger plane to a Russian military error.
• Putin spoke after a bilateral meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe.
• He said two air-defense missiles were launched, malfunctioned, and detonated about 10 meters from the aircraft, with shrapnel causing critical damage.
• Azerbaijan had long asserted a Russian misfire, and the comments amount to Moscow effectively recognizing that claim.
• The reports, carried by Kyodo and TASS and published by Japanese regional outlets with paywalls, provide few additional investigative details.