Putin Acknowledges That Russian Missiles Shot Down Embraer Plane in Kazakhstan in 2024 and Promises Compensation to Families.
The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, confirmed this Thursday (10/09/2025) that the Embraer plane shot down in Kazakhstan in December 2024 was hit by Russian missiles.
The statement, made during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, marks the first time Moscow has taken direct responsibility for the incident, which resulted in 38 fatalities.
According to Putin, the Russian air defense system was activated in the region due to the presence of Ukrainian drones in Grozny, Caucasus.
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During the operation, two missiles ended up exploding near the Embraer 190 aircraft, belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines, which was operating the route between Baku and Grozny.
Missiles Exploded 10 Meters From The Aircraft, Says Putin
Putin explained that the missiles did not hit the plane directly, but exploded about 10 meters away, causing severe damage due to the shrapnel.
“The two launched missiles did not hit the plane directly. If that had happened, it would have fallen right there. But they exploded, perhaps as a self-destruction measure, just a few meters away, about 10 meters. And, thus, the damage was caused, not by the warheads, but probably by the debris of the missiles themselves,” said the Russian president.
The impact of the explosions caused the crew to lose control of the aircraft, which attempted an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan.
The plane ultimately crashed on the shores of the Caspian Sea, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.
Russia Promises Compensation and Full Investigation
During the speech, Putin apologized to the victims’ families and assured that the Russian government would take all necessary measures to rectify the error.
“Of course, everything necessary in such tragic cases will be done by the Russian side in terms of compensation, and a legal assessment of all official matters will be made. It is our duty, I repeat once again, to make an objective assessment of everything that happened and identify the true causes.”
In addition to compensations, the president stated that a detailed legal assessment would be conducted to determine responsibilities within the military command.
Aliyev Praises Transparency and Talks of “Positive Progress” in Relations
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, who had accused Moscow of trying to cover up the tragedy earlier in the year, praised Putin’s stance in acknowledging the mistake and committing to the families.
Aliyev described the gesture as a “positive development” in the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, which had been strained since the Embraer plane accident.
Kazakhstan Report Already Pointed to “External Objects”
Even before Putin’s statement, a preliminary report issued in February by the Kazakh government indicated that the plane’s crash could have been caused by “external objects,” although it did not specify their origin.
The experts identified multiple damages to the fuselage, engines, and stabilizers of the aircraft.
The investigation was supported by the Brazilian Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Cenipa), which analyzed the black boxes of the Embraer plane.
The data confirmed that the crew believed they had collided with a flock of birds before the crash. The information was sent to the Kazakh aviation authority, responsible for the final report, which has not yet been published.
Meeting Marks Diplomatic Reapproachment
This was the first meeting between Putin and Aliyev since the air disaster in Kazakhstan. The dialogue between the two leaders indicates an attempt at diplomatic reapproachment between Moscow and Baku after months of tension and distrust.
By admitting the involvement of the Russian defense in the crash of the Embraer plane, the Kremlin is attempting to mitigate the political and humanitarian damage caused by the incident.
For experts, Putin’s attitude seeks to reinforce an image of responsibility and transparency at a time of significant international pressure.

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