On December 25, 2024, an Embraer 190 aircraft flying on the Baku–Grozny route crashed near Aktau, resulting in 38 fatalities out of 67 people on board. Initially, Russia denied any involvement in the incident, citing a bird strike as the cause. Later, the discovery of traces of an anti-aircraft missile on the aircraft wreckage changed the situation.
On December 28, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev and apologized, stating the incident occurred in Russian airspace. Aliyev, however, accused Moscow of concealing the truth and demanded punishment of those responsible and compensation.
On October 9, 2025, during a meeting in Dushanbe, the parties reached an agreement. The Russian side stated that the disaster was caused by the flight of a Ukrainian drone and a technical malfunction. According to it, two missiles exploded near the aircraft without hitting it directly.
However, the investigation was not fully completed: in December 2025, Russia's Investigative Committee closed the criminal case without holding anyone accountable. The new joint statement emphasized that the agreements between the two states would serve to further develop mutually beneficial cooperation.
