2025年10月9日，俄羅斯總統弗拉迪米爾・普丁（Vladimir Putin）在塔吉克斯坦首都杜尚別與阿塞拜疆總統伊利哈姆・阿利耶夫（Ilham Aliyev）會談時，罕見地就發生於2024年年底的阿塞拜疆航空空難事件正式道歉。普丁在會中承認，該起造成嚴重死傷的空難確實是由俄軍防空導彈碎片誤擊所導致，俄方將全面承擔責任，包括賠償遇難者家屬與追究軍方責任人。這是俄方自事件發生以來，首次明確承認自身過失並公開致歉，引起國際廣泛關注。

這起悲劇發生於2024年12月25日。當天，阿塞拜疆航空一架從巴庫（Baku）飛往俄羅斯車臣首府格羅茲尼（Grozny）的民航客機，於飛越哈薩克斯坦阿克套（Aktau）附近時突然失聯，隨後在當地郊外墜毀。機上共有67人，其中38人不幸罹難。由於事故發生地點接近俄烏戰事相關的防空區域，當時即引發外界懷疑是否與軍事行動有關。

在長達數月的多方調查後，阿塞拜疆及國際民航組織（ICAO）調查團隊最終確認：客機並非因機械故障墜毀，而是被俄羅斯防空導彈的彈片擊中。當時，俄軍雷達偵測到有三架烏克蘭無人機穿越南俄領空，軍方隨即發射兩枚地對空導彈進行攔截。其中一枚導彈在自毀程序啟動後，於距離阿航客機約十多公尺處爆炸，產生的金屬碎片擊穿機身，引發液壓與電控系統同時失效。飛機在短時間內失去操控，最終墜毀於哈薩克草原。

在事件初期，俄方對外僅表示「事故發生於軍事行動區域」，並未承認與俄軍行動有關，引發阿塞拜疆社會強烈不滿。直到此次普丁在杜尚別的會談中，才首次正式對外說明事實經過。他指出，俄羅斯防空系統在當時「因技術故障導致誤判」，導致導彈自毀機制提前觸發，間接造成客機受損墜毀。普京明言：「這是一場悲劇性的人為錯誤，俄方必須承擔應有的道義與法律責任。」他同時承諾，俄羅斯將依法評估相關軍事指揮與技術責任人，並啟動遇難者賠償計畫。

阿塞拜疆總統阿利耶夫在會中接受普京的道歉，並強調阿方「重視俄方的誠意與透明度」。他指出，雖然事件造成嚴重人員傷亡，但兩國之間的戰略夥伴關係並未受到根本性影響。目前俄阿雙邊貿易額已突破40億美元，經濟與能源合作仍持續推進。為妥善處理後續事宜，兩國已成立聯合工作小組，負責賠償金額談判、受害者家屬心理援助及軍方責任調查的具體進展。

國際社會對此事件反應強烈。烏克蘭方面至今尚未對俄方所提「無人機侵擾」說法發表官方回應，部分西方媒體質疑俄方是否藉此將責任部分推向外部。國際民航組織（ICAO）則表示，將持續監督後續調查與賠償過程，並呼籲各國加強衝突地區上空的民航安全預警機制。

多位航空安全專家指出，這起空難揭示出戰爭陰影下民用航線的潛在風險。近年俄烏戰爭延伸至跨境空域，使得多國民航航線不得不調整或繞行；而此次事件更凸顯防空系統在臨戰狀態下可能對民航安全構成致命威脅。

如今，距離空難發生已近一年，普京的正式道歉被視為俄羅斯試圖修復與阿塞拜疆外交關係的重要一步。儘管事件仍留下不少爭議，但對罹難者家屬而言，這份遲來的承認與補償，也許是撫平傷痛的第一步。

On October 9, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a formal apology to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during a meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, acknowledging Russia’s responsibility for the Azerbaijan Airlines crash that occurred in December 2024. Putin admitted that fragments from a Russian air defense missile had caused the passenger plane to crash and pledged both financial compensation and legal accountability for those responsible. It was the first time Russia officially accepted fault for the tragedy, marking a rare gesture of contrition from the Kremlin and drawing significant international attention.

The accident took place on December 25, 2024, when an Azerbaijan Airlines flight traveling from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, suddenly disappeared from radar while flying near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The plane crashed in a remote area, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. Given the proximity to Russian-controlled airspace and the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, many suspected early on that the disaster might have been linked to military activity.

After months of investigation by Azerbaijani authorities and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), it was confirmed that the plane had been struck by shrapnel from a Russian surface-to-air missile. On that day, Russian radar systems detected three Ukrainian drones crossing into southern Russian airspace. In response, Russian forces launched two missiles to intercept them. One missile’s self-destruct mechanism activated prematurely, exploding roughly 10 to 15 meters from the civilian aircraft. The explosion sent fragments tearing through the fuselage, damaging the hydraulic and electronic systems and rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. The plane went down minutes later over the Kazakh steppe.

Initially, Russian officials avoided admitting fault, merely stating that the incident occurred “in an active defense zone.” This lack of transparency angered the Azerbaijani public and victims’ families. During the Dushanbe summit, however, Putin broke his silence, explaining that a technical malfunction in the air defense system had caused a misidentification and triggered the missile’s self-destruct prematurely. He described it as a “tragic human error” and declared:

“Russia must take full moral and legal responsibility for this terrible mistake.”

Putin confirmed that a legal review would be conducted to identify and punish those responsible within the Russian military chain of command and that Russia would compensate the victims’ families in accordance with international aviation norms.

President Ilham Aliyev accepted Putin’s apology, praising the transparency of the Russian investigation and stressing that the tragedy, while painful, did not fundamentally damage relations between the two countries. Bilateral trade between Russia and Azerbaijan has reportedly exceeded $4 billion, and both leaders emphasized the continuation of joint economic and energy projects. To manage post-crash matters, the two sides agreed to establish a joint working group to oversee compensation payments, psychological support for victims’ families, and the disciplinary proceedings against those responsible.

The international community responded with intense scrutiny. Ukraine has not issued an official statement regarding Moscow’s claim that Ukrainian drones were responsible for triggering the launch. The ICAO announced it would continue to monitor the investigation and emphasized the need for enhanced airspace safety protocols over active conflict zones.

Aviation experts have warned that the tragedy highlights the growing dangers of civilian air travel near conflict zones. The Russia–Ukraine war has already forced multiple airlines to reroute flights to avoid contested airspace, and this incident underscored how military defense systems—especially those on high alert—pose serious risks to nearby civilian aircraft.

Nearly a year after the disaster, Putin’s apology is being viewed as a diplomatic effort to mend ties with Azerbaijan and to demonstrate accountability in the international arena. While questions remain about the adequacy of compensation and the punishment of those involved, for the families of the 38 victims, this long-awaited acknowledgment and commitment to justice may represent the first step toward closure after months of grief and uncertainty.