Validimir Putin apologises over plane crash without saying Russia at fault| BBC NEWS

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan over the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace - but stopped short of saying Russia was responsible.

Putin said the "tragic incident", which killed 38 people, had occurred when Russian air defence systems were repelling Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must "stop spreading disinformation" about the strike.

The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence as it tried to land in the Russian region of Chechnya - forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea.

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