Vladimir Putin apologises over Russia shooting at plane that led to horror Christmas Day crash:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued what many might call a belated and calculated apology to his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, regarding the catastrophic crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane. The incident, which resulted in the deaths of 38 individuals, occurred when the aircraft, en route from Baku to Grozny, was reportedly shot down by Russian air defenses near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Christmas Day.

The official Kremlin statement frames the event as an unfortunate “tragic incident,” occurring within Russian airspace amidst a supposed Ukrainian drone assault targeting the Grozny region. According to the Kremlin’s narrative, Putin expressed “deepest and most sincere condolences” and acknowledged the incident’s severity, yet this comes after initial Russian claims of the crash being due to a collision with birds—an explanation now widely discredited.

Skeptics might argue that this apology serves more as a face-saving maneuver rather than genuine remorse. The timing and context of the apology, especially after the initial deflection of blame, suggest a response crafted under international pressure rather than an admission of fault. The mention of Ukrainian drone attacks during the time of the crash could be seen as an attempt to muddle the waters, providing a pretext for the activation of Russian air defenses.

The involvement of a Pantsir-S air defense system, as suggested by various sources, including US officials and Azerbaijani ministers, directly contradicts Russia’s earlier claims. The sudden shift in the narrative, particularly from bird strikes to acknowledging air defense involvement, raises questions about the veracity of information from the Russian side.

Furthermore, the initiation of a criminal case by Russia’s Investigative Committee under Article 263 of the Criminal Code, while appearing to show accountability, could also be interpreted as a means to control the narrative of the investigation. The cooperation between Russian, Azerbaijani, and Kazakh officials at the crash site might be more about managing the fallout than ensuring an unbiased inquiry, especially given Russia’s history of handling such incidents.

The commendation of the pilots for their actions in trying to save the plane outside Russian airspace adds a human element to this tragedy but also underscores the unexpected nature of the attack, which should not have occurred if proper identification protocols were followed by Russian defenses.

The statements from both Rashan Nabiyev of Azerbaijan and John Kirby from the White House, pointing towards Russian air defense as the cause, further fuel skepticism. Kirby’s refusal to elaborate citing an ongoing investigation might be seen as diplomatic caution but also leaves room for speculation about the real circumstances of the crash.

In summary, while Putin’s apology might appear on the surface as an acknowledgment of Russian responsibility, the timing, the initial deflection of blame, and the broader geopolitical context suggest to many observers that this could be just another move in managing international perceptions rather than a sincere admission of wrongdoing.