Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that his country was involved in the 2024 crash of an Azerbaijani passenger plane, calling it a “tragedy,” reported AFP.

On December 25, the Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, resulting in the deaths of 38 of the 67 passengers and crew on board. This occurred after it was diverted from its scheduled landing in the southern Russian city of Grozny.

"The two missiles that were fired did not directly hit the aircraft. If that had happened, it would have crashed on the spot," AFP quoted Putin.

Russian air traffic controllers suggested the pilot try to land in Makhachkala, but he instead attempted to land at his home airport and then in Kazakhstan, where the plane eventually came to a stop down, Putin

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