Kremlin admits catastrophe: Russian 'Pantsir' shot down a passenger aircraft; 38 people killed PHOTO

Russian authorities initially denied any involvement in the crash, which led to a significant deterioration in relations with Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev immediately blamed Moscow for the incident, stating that the aircraft had been “disabled by electronic warfare systems” and hit by ground fire in Grozny.

Aliyev expressed anger that Russia was attempting to “cover up the incident” and insisting on “absurd versions” of the cause of the crash, and he also threatened to bring the case before an international court.

Responsibility was effectively acknowledged nine months later, in October 2025. During a meeting with the Azerbaijani president, Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the crash and promised that those responsible would be punished. He claimed that the crew had been offered a landing in Makhachkala, but instead chose to return to their home airport.

Azerbaijani investigative journalists later identified several Russian military officers allegedly involved in the downing of the civilian aircraft near Grozny in December 2024, shedding new light on the tragedy that killed 38 people.

The newly identified personnel were reportedly on active combat duty when a “Pantsir-S1” surface-to-air missile system was launched at Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432.