Unfriendly Skies: How Russian Air Defense Caused a Diplomatic Wreck

The skies over the region proved unfriendly on Christmas Day 2024, when a Russian air defense action caused a diplomatic wreck by downing an Azerbaijani passenger plane. President Vladimir Putin has now admitted this, confirming Russia’s role in the incident that killed 38 people.
At a summit in Tajikistan, Putin told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that the downing was a “tragedy” resulting from an anti-drone operation. He explained that missiles targeting Ukrainian drones caused them to detonate “meters away” from the Azerbaijan Airlines flight, leading to its crash.
The incident has been the cause of a year-long diplomatic crisis. The destruction of the Baku-to-Grozny flight and the death of 38 passengers and crew created a deep rift between Moscow and Baku, two nations with historically close ties.
The admission from Putin was met with a frosty reception from Aliyev, who accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the affair. This public denunciation illustrates the extent to which the relationship has deteriorated, moving from partnership to open animosity.
To clean up the diplomatic wreck, Putin has promised material and legal action. He assured Aliyev that financial compensation would be forthcoming for the victims’ families and that the officials involved would be subject to a legal review.