Russian President Vladimir Putin rarely apologizes. So when he personally did so to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev just days after preliminary evidence suggested Russian involvement in the downing of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 last week, it attracted almost as much attention as the tragedy itself.
One might expect Putin would dismiss the idea that Russia had any role in the incident, as he has done in similar situations in the past. The fact that he chose a different approach this time suggests an awareness of the reputational and relational stakes at play for Baku. But by apologizing without admitting Russian guilt, his response has so far failed to assuage the personal sting of the incident for Aliyev, with potential implications for Russia-Azerbaijan relations.
Since Putin’s apology, Aliyev has reiterated his demands for Russia to acknowledge guilt, prosecute those responsible and offer compensation to the families of the victims of the disaster. That reflects the fact that the downing of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, which was reportedly struck by Russian air defenses during a Ukrainian drone attack on southern Russia, has quickly gone from being a national tragedy to a diplomatic flashpoint for Azerbaijan.