AssetID: 55167542
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Putin Admits Russia Shot Down Azerbaijani Passenger Jet, Killing 38
Caption: Putin Admits Russia Shot Down Azerbaijani Passenger Jet, Killing 38. Vladimir Putin has admitted that Russian air defences accidentally shot down an Azerbaijani passenger jet in December, killing 38 people. The plane, operated by Azerbaijani Airlines, was flying from Baku to Grozny, Chechnya, when Russian missiles detonated nearby on Christmas Day. Putin said the missiles were launched at a Ukrainian drone but exploded about 10 meters from the jet, damaging it with debris rather than a direct hit. The pilot initially reported a collision with birds before the plane attempted an emergency landing in Kazakhstan, where it crashed. Putin, speaking alongside Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, pledged to punish those responsible and compensate victims’ families. He said a full investigation is ongoing and could take more time to determine the exact causes of the tragedy. Aliyev previously accused Moscow of trying to cover up the incident but thanked Putin for now taking personal responsibility for the case. This is the second aviation tragedy linked to Russia’s military actions after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed by a Russian missile in 2014. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Putin,Russia,Azerbaijan,passenger jet,air defence,missile strike,Ilham Aliyev,Grozny,Kazakhstan,investigation,compensation
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