• Putin acknowledges Russian air defenses were responsible for downing an Azerbaijani passenger jet, killing 38.
• Missiles targeting Ukrainian drones detonated near the plane, suggesting indirect damage.
• The Russian President offered compensation and a legal assessment of the incident.
• The crash strained relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, prompting calls for accountability.
• Aliyev thanked Putin for overseeing the investigation into the crash.

Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly acknowledged for the first time that Russia's air defenses were responsible for downing an Azerbaijani passenger jet, which tragically resulted in the loss of 38 lives. During a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Putin stated that the incident occurred due to Russian missiles tracking Ukrainian drones that had crossed into Russian airspace. The Azerbaijani Airlines jet was trying to land when Russian missiles detonated nearby, causing fatal damage, according to Newsweek and Indiatimes.

During the meeting, Putin expressed that the missiles exploded several meters away from the flight that was en route from Baku to Grozny. He indicated that the lethal damage was primarily caused by missile debris rather than warheads directly striking the aircraft. Furthermore, he promised to provide compensation and a thorough legal assessment regarding the incident, which had significantly strained ties between the two nations, as reported by SCMP, Al Jazeera, and LA Times.

Putin had previously offered a rare public apology to Aliyev shortly after the incident, but did not take full responsibility at that time. During this recent address, he also noted that incidents with Ukrainian drones had led to an operational failure in Russia's air defense system, which he termed as a "technical malfunction." Both leaders expressed hope for mending bilateral relations in light of this tragic event, highlighting the need for transparency and justice following the crash, according to TRT Global.