Aktau plane crash: Baku blames Russian missile for tragedy

Euronews reports, citing sources in the Azerbaijani government.

According to the preliminary findings, a Russian missile over Grozny was the cause of the tragedy in Aktau. The missile, described as surface-to-air, was reportedly launched during drone activity over Grozny. Missile debris struck the passengers and crew, detonating near the aircraft.

An Azerbaijani government source also stated that the damaged plane was denied permission to land in Russian airports despite the pilots' requests for an emergency landing. The aircraft was instructed to continue flying across the Caspian Sea toward Aktau, Kazakhstan. Additionally, the plane's GPS navigation systems were reportedly jammed throughout its flight over the sea.

• On the morning of December 25, a passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan's Aktau. It was traveling from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny, Russia. The crash claimed the lives of 38 people. According to the Center for Strategic Communications of Ukraine, the plane was struck by a Russian air defense missile system.