A plane crash and a delayed admission have seemingly turned Russia and Azerbaijan from allies into adversaries, with the rift widening even as President Vladimir Putin conceded his country’s fault. The tense dynamic was on full display at a summit in Tajikistan.
Putin admitted for the first time that Russian missiles downed an Azerbaijani passenger jet in 2024, killing 38 people. He called it a “tragedy” and explained it as an accident that occurred while targeting Ukrainian drones that were “meters away” from the civilian aircraft.
This confession comes ten months after the December 25, 2024, incident, a period marked by escalating tensions. The crash of the flight from Baku to Grozny has been a central grievance for Azerbaijan, which has felt ignored and disrespected by Moscow.
The move from ally to adversary was crystallized in President Ilham Aliyev’s response. He publicly accused Russia of a cover-up, claiming Moscow had tried to “hush up” its role. This direct challenge signals a new, more confrontational phase in their relationship.
Despite the widening rift, Putin made a formal commitment to reparations. He pledged to provide “adequate compensation” for the loss of life and to conduct a legal review to establish accountability among the officials responsible for the error.
From Allies to Adversaries: Crash Admission Widens Russia-Azerbaijan Rift
