
Putin admits Russian air defences downed Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 in December, killing 38
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged during a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev that Russian air‑defence activity was responsible for the December 2024 downing of Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243, an Embraer E190. The jet was crippled and crashed while diverting to Aktau, killing 38 of the 67 onboard.