By Guy Faulconbridge, Andrew Osborn and Nailia Bagirova MOSCOW/BAKU (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologised to Azerbaijan's leader for what the Kremlin called a "tragic incident" over Russia in which an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed after Russian air defences were fired against Ukrainian drones.

Russia launches 31 drones overnight: 20 destroyed, 11 off target — Ukrainian Air Force It was noted that another 11 drones did not reach their targets. Russia launched the missiles from the Voronezh and Kursk oblasts of the Russian Federation,

Russian forces launched 31 drones of various types at Ukraine. Most of them were shot down by air defense, reports the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "On the night of December 26, the enemy attacked with 31 strike UAVs of the Shahed type and other drones from the directions of Oryol and Millerovo,

Russia's aviation watchdog said the captain of the plane had been offered other airports at which to land, but had chosen Kazakhstan's Aktau.