Azeri government sources claim Russian missile caused plane crash over Kazakhstan, Euronews reports

A Russian surface-to-air missile caused the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight near Aktau, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijani government sources confirmed to Euronews on 26 December.

The plane, en route from Baku to Grozny, carried 67 passengers, including 42 Azeri citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyz citizens. There were thirty-eight people confirmed deceased.

The missile reportedly targeted Flight 8432 during drone activity over Grozny on December 25. According to Euronews sourceshrapnel from the explosion struck passengers and cabin crew, while the missile detonated mid-flight near the aircraft.

The reported use of air defense systems aligns with several media reports about drone attacks in Chechnya on the morning of December 25th. The aircraft attempted to land in Grozny, but Russian airports refused permission for an emergency landing, forcing the pilots to divert to Aktau in KAZAKHSTAN.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Footage analyzed by independent media institutions Jellyfish and Mediazona presents damages in accordance with the impact of surface-to-air missilesincluding holes in the fuselage and traces of a missile strike on the tail section.

Survivors recounted hearing an explosion before the failed landing attempts at Grozny. After attempting to land in Aktau, the plane broke up on impact and caught fire.

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) initially attributed the crash to a collision with a flock of birds, prompting the pilot to attempt an emergency landing.

The black box from the accident site was recovered, and the Azerbaijani press reported that its analysis will be critical in confirming the events that led to the crash.