Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged on Thursday during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that Russian air defenses were responsible for the crash of the AZAL E190 airliner in December 2024, though he deflected full blame. Putin stated that two missiles fired by Russian air defenses exploded near the aircraft, causing it to be hit by debris rather than directly by munitions. He also cited the presence of a Ukrainian drone in the vicinity as a contributing factor. According to reports from TASS, Vesti, and Readovka, Putin explained that the crew of the AZAL airliner had been advised to land in Makhachkala but chose to continue to their home airport. The exact timing of Putin's remarks within the reporting window of October 9th, 2025, was not specified, but the information emerged during his meeting with President Aliyev on Thursday. This admission addresses the cause of the AZAL E190 crash that occurred in December 2024. While the specific details of the meeting between Putin and Aliyev are not fully elaborated upon in the provided sources, the acknowledgment of Russian air defense involvement is the primary development. This news follows a period of enhanced diplomatic activity between the UK and India, with Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi announcing improved ties and a Free Trade Agreement on October 9th, 2025. No direct connection between the UK-India developments and the AZAL crash acknowledgment has been reported.
