Putin in Phone Call with Aliyev Apologized for AZAL Plane Crash Occurring in Russian Airspace
Interfax. On the Russian side’s initiative, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Kremlin press service said in a statement on Saturday.
“The parties discussed in detail the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25,” it said.
“Vladimir Putin offered his apologies in connection with the fact that the tragic incident happened in the Russian airspace and once again offered deep and sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wished those injured a speedy recovery,” the Russian presidential press service said.
“It was stated during the conversation that the Azerbaijani commercial airliner, which was flying strictly according to the timetable, had repeatedly tried to land at the Grozny airport. At that time, Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian combat drones and Russian air defense weapons were repelling those attacks,” the statement said.
