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<p>You are listening to Curiosity Curated Shorts. I am Zong.</p><p>Today, we're asking a foundational question about the world’s largest country: When Russia looks at its neighbors—particularly in the South Caucasus and Central Asia—does it view them as fully independent nations, or as territories belonging to a historical sphere of influence?</p><p>The 2024 Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash offers a revealing case study. In December 2024, a passenger flight from Baku in Azerbaijan to Grozny in Chechnya was tragically shot down, killing 38 people. Evidence strongly suggests the plane was hit by a Russian air defense missile. Putin initially expressed regret but avoided responsibility, straining Russia-Azerbaijan relations. Only on October 9, 2025, did he officially acknowledge responsibility and offer compensation to President Aliyev.</p><p>This shift from deflection to apology reveals something important about Russia's relationship with its neighbors—one historically characterized by im...