putin and aliyev The admission, made during a meeting in Tajikistan in October 2025, followed a 10-month diplomatic row that began after the crash. The relationship between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has been defined by Russia’s admission of responsibility for shooting down an Azerbaijani passenger jet in late 2024 and Russia’s pledge to compensate the victims. December 2024 plane crash and aftermath. The incident: On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. The flight, which was traveling from Baku to Grozny, was rerouted due to reports of Ukrainian drone attacks

putin and aliyev
The admission, made during a meeting in Tajikistan in October 2025, followed a 10-month diplomatic row that began after the crash.
The relationship between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has been defined by Russia’s admission of responsibility for shooting down an Azerbaijani passenger jet in late 2024 and Russia’s pledge to compensate the victims.
December 2024 plane crash and aftermath.
The incident: On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. The flight, which was traveling from Baku to Grozny, was rerouted due to reports of Ukrainian drone attacks in southern Russia. The plane was subsequently hit by Russian air defense missiles.
Initial reaction: Days after the crash, Putin apologized for the “tragic incident” but did not admit direct responsibility. Aliyev criticized Moscow for attempting to “hush up” the incident, which caused significant strain in relations.
Escalating tensions: The diplomatic fallout saw a series of retaliatory moves:An Azerbaijani visit to Moscow was canceled in May 2025.
Ethnic Azerbaijanis were arrested in Russia during the summer of 2025.
Azerbaijan, in turn, detained several Russian nationals.
Aliyev notably skipped Russia’s annual World War II Victory Day celebrations.

October 2025 reconciliation
Putin’s admission and apology: Meeting with Aliyev in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in October 2025, Putin offered his most candid admission to date. He explained that a “technical malfunction” in the Russian air defense system, which was targeting a Ukrainian drone, caused two missiles to explode near the passenger jet.
Promise of compensation: Putin pledged that Russia would “do everything” to provide compensation for the victims and assess the actions of those responsible.
Aliyev’s response: Aliyev thanked Putin for personally monitoring the investigation and expressed hope for restoring cooperation, signaling a potential de-escalation of tensions.
Wider context
Analysts note that Aliyev’s leverage, including Azerbaijan’s 2023 victory in Nagorno-Karabakh and a security alliance with Turkey, may have influenced Putin’s decision to apologize and settle the dispute. However, questions remain regarding Putin’s technical explanation of the crash, and the full normalization of relations will depend on how Russia follows through on its promises.

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— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 10, 2025