Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to Azerbaijan’s leader after a tragic plane crash claimed 38 lives. But here’s the thing—he didn’t take responsibility for it.
The crash happened in Russian airspace while, according to Putin, air defense systems were busy intercepting Ukrainian drones. The plane reportedly tried to land in Chechnya but couldn’t and ended up crash-landing in Kazakhstan.
So far, there’s no confirmation about whether the aircraft was hit by Russian missiles, but both countries agree that a full investigation is needed.
Russian aviation officials have described the situation in the area as “very complicated” because of ongoing Ukrainian strikes.
On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky isn’t convinced. He’s pointed out that the damage looks an awful lot like it came from a missile strike and is pushing Russia for answers.
For now, the world is left waiting—and watching—as investigators piece together what really happened.