On December 25, 2024, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, an Embraer 190AR, was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, when it crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Tragically, 38 of the 67 people on board lost their lives, while 29 survived with injuries.

Initial reports suggested that the aircraft encountered a bird strike, leading the pilots to request a diversion. However, subsequent investigations revealed perforations in the tail section inconsistent with a bird strike, pointing instead to possible damage from a surface-to-air missile.

Azerbaijani authorities, citing preliminary findings, believe that Russian air defenses mistakenly targeted the plane during efforts to repel a Ukrainian drone attack near Grozny Airport. Shrapnel from a Russian Pantsir-S1 air-defense system is suspected to have caused critical damage to the aircraft.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the “tragic incident” but did not explicitly acknowledge Russian responsibility. President Aliyev has demanded a full admission of guilt, accountability for those responsible, and compensation for the victims and their families.

Investigations are ongoing, with authorities from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia collaborating to determine the exact circumstances leading to the crash. The incident has heightened tensions between Baku and Moscow, underscoring potential flaws in their bilateral relations.