Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev for what Moscow has described as a "tragic incident" involving the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day.

The Embraer jet came down near Aktau airport in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people. Twenty-nine survived.

Incident took place in Russian airspace — Kremlin

The Kremlin statement, published on Saturday, says Putin offered his apologies that this incident "happened in the Russian airspace." 

"During this time, Grozny, (the town of) Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian combat drones and Russian air defense was repelling these attacks," the Kremlin said Putin told Aliyev.

However, the statement does not explicitly say that the plane was shot down by a Russian missile.

'External physical and technical interference' — President Aliyev

During a telephonic conversation, Aliyev told Putin that the plane was first hit by "external physical and technical interference" over Russia "resulting in a complete loss of control," Baku's presidency said in a statement. 

Aliyev also "highlighted that the multiple holes in the aircraft's fuselage, injuries sustained by passengers and crew due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight, and testimonies from surviving flight attendants and passengers" saying that these factors "confirm evidence of external physical and technical interference."

Azerbaijan's Transport Minister Rashan Nabiyev has also said survivors had heard explosive noises outside the aircraft before the plane was struck by "something." The minister added that "the type of weapon" was yet to be determined.

EU foreign affairs chief calls for 'independent' probe

The European Union's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas has meanwhile called for a "swift, independent" investigation into the matter, drawing a comparison with Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 which killed nearly 300 people.

"Reports that Russian fire could have caused the Azerbaijan Airlines plane are a stark reminder of #MH17. I call for a swift, independent international investigation," said Kallas on social media platform X.

"Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims. I wish for a speedy recovery to the injured," Kallas added. 

The MH17 was shot down by a BUK missile over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 as it flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died.

Investigators in the Netherlands believe there are "strong indications" based on intercepted phone calls that Putin had personally approved the weapons transfers to its proxy forces in the east of Ukraine. 

kb/dj (AFP/Reuters)