Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was en route to the
Commonwealth of Independent States summit in
Saint Petersburg, Russia, when news of the accident broke out, leading him to return to Baku, where he held an emergency meeting on the accident shortly after landing at Baku airport. He declared a day of
national mourning for 26 December First lady and vice-president
Mehriban Aliyeva also expressed condolences, Condolences to Azerbaijan were expressed by Kazakh President
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President
Vladimir Putin as well as leaders from countries outside the flight's path. Amid reports that the aircraft was fired at during a Ukrainian drone attack, Ukrainian president
Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a "thorough investigation", adding that visual evidence at the crash site "points to Russia's responsibility". On 28 December Zelenskyy called Aliyev, expressed condolences and support to Azerbaijan and stated that "Russia must provide clear explanations and stop spreading disinformation". White House spokesperson
John Kirby said that the United States had seen "early indications" that Russia may have been responsible for the crash, adding that Washington had offered to assist in the investigation. European Union foreign policy chief
Kaja Kallas also said the crash was a "stark reminder" of the shooting down of
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014 and called for a "swift, independent international investigation". On 27 December, Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority
Rosaviatsia, said that Ukrainian drones attacked Grozny as the plane was about to land in thick fog, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. On 27 December, Azerbaijani media reported that the head of the Chechen Republic,
Ramzan Kadyrov attempted to contact president Aliyev privately and offered "financial support" for the victims, which was interpreted as a personal admission of responsibility and an attempt to resolve the case quietly without public apology. This request was denied and negatively received in Baku. A day of mourning was declared for 28 December in Chechnya by order of Kadyrov. According to the
Flight Safety Foundation's
Aviation Safety Network, it would be the third major shooting down of a civilian aircraft linked to armed conflict since 2014, along with Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.
The Wall Street Journal highlighted the risks of civil aviation near
war zones, stating that accidental shooting down of civilian aircraft has become the leading cause of deaths in commercial aviation in recent years. On 28 December, Putin apologised to Aliyev for the "tragic incident involving the aircraft that occurred in Russian airspace", but did not confirm that the flight had been shot down and did not take responsibility. He also added that Ukrainian drones had been targeting Grozny and that Russian air defence systems had been activated to respond to the attack. He said that at the time the cities of Grozny,
Mozdok and
Vladikavkaz "were attacked by Ukrainian combat drones, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks." The Kremlin said Russia had launched a
criminal investigation into the incident and would cooperate with
Azerbaijani prosecutors. Azerbaijani commentators summarised their expectations in relation to the disaster, regarding Russia's apology, the prosecution of those responsible, and compensation payments. They noted that, while Putin had offered a vague apology, he never officially responded to the other two requests. Azerbaijani officials claimed that the pilots were denied permission to conduct an emergency landing at any airport in Russia, forcing them to change course to Aktau, an alleged attempt to hide evidence in the hopes the aircraft would crash into the Caspian Sea. On 6 January 2025, president Aliyev explicitly blamed "representatives of the Russian Federation" for the crash, clarifying that it was Russian air defence that downed the plane according to preliminary investigation. Aliyev also criticised Russia for not closing its airspace prior to the aircraft's landing and engaging in a cover-up by promoting "absurd versions" instead of simply allowing an emergency landing on nearby airports. In a safety bulletin issued on 10 January 2025, the
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) cited the downing of Flight 8243 to reiterate warnings about the high risks of civilian flights over Russian airspace—especially west of
longitude 60° East—due to active air defense systems and drone attacks. EASA advised operators to avoid this airspace at all flight levels, highlighting Flight 8243 as a clear example of these dangers. In May 2025, Aliyev cancelled a visit to
Moscow to celebrate the
Moscow Victory Day Parade as according to the
Azerbaijani Press Agency, multiple factors, such as Russia not taking any "operational investigative measures" nor finding or bringing to justice "those who were responsible", cyberattacks on Azerbaijani media supposedly originating from Russia, and the detention and deportation of Azerbaijani member of parliament Azer Badamov over "repeated anti-Russian and Russophobic statements", were said to have influenced his decision. On 2 July 2025,
Ukrainska Pravda published an unsigned handwritten letter with a purported explanatory note from an air defence system commander, Captain Dmitry Paladychuk, claiming that the aircraft was engaged under orders from the Russian Ministry of Defence. On 19 July 2025, Aliyev announced Azerbaijan's intention to file an international lawsuit against Russia regarding the downing of Flight 8243. Aliyev criticized Russia for failing to provide clear answers in the seven months since the incident and demanded formal responsibility, accountability, and full compensation for the victims and their families. Azerbaijani prosecutors made several requests to Russia's Investigative Committee but received no conclusive responses beyond ongoing investigations. On 9 October 2025, Putin stated that a Russian air defense rocket had hit the aircraft. He suggested that the rocket did not directly hit the aircraft because if it did, it would have crashed immediately. He also told Aliyev that Azerbaijan would be compensated for the crash and that he would ensure an "objective assessment". A
moment of silence was observed nationwide at noon. Several sporting events, including matches in the eighth round of the
Azerbaijan Futsal Premier League and the Azerbaijan National Futsal Cup, commenced with a one-minute silence. Additionally, the Azerbaijan Taekwondo and Wrestling Championships, as well as cultural and public events scheduled in theaters and concert venues, were postponed in observance of the mourning period. A memorial stand was installed at the southern entrance of Terminal 2 at
Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku. The installation featured photographs of the 38 victims and floral tributes. In
Aktau, Kazakhstan, flowers were laid at the General Consulate of Azerbaijan, and posters were placed on the consulate's walls in memory of the victims. In
Astana, floral tributes were also placed at the Azerbaijani embassy as a gesture of condolence. On 7 February 2025, a memorial service was held in Azerbaijan to honor the crash victims. Organized by the Kazakh Embassy and Mangistau Regional Akimat, it was attended by officials, victims' families, rescue workers, and locals. Azerbaijani businessman Amil Yusifov donated furnished apartments to families and vehicles to emergency services. On 14 April 2025, Azerbaijani mountaineers unveiled a memorial plaque at the "Khinalig and Koch Yolu" State Historical-Cultural and Ethnographic Reserve to honor the 38 victims, including three crew members, of the crash. On 24 May 2025, local residents of
Tupkaragan District established a memorial near the crash site outside Aktau International Airport, consisting of a fenced area with benches and floral tributes for public remembrance, which received approval from local authorities. Subsequently, on 26 June 2025, a formal monument was officially erected to honor the crew members of Flight 8243, with particular recognition given to Captain
Igor Kshnyakin and Senior Flight Attendant
Hokuma Aliyeva. == Investigation ==