Video and commander’s alleged confession reveal how Russia could have downed Azerbaijan plane

This material, labeled “Sensation,” was published on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.

“I was ordered by phone to destroy the target (the plane - ed.),” Captain Paladichuk says in his explanatory statement, which includes his exact position and signature.

Here is the full text version of his words

"Regarding the questions addressed to me, I, Captain Dmitry Sergeevich Paladichuk, provide the following explanation: I am the commander of BM (combat vehicle - .ed) No. 274 and the head of the crew. I was on combat duty covering the city of Grozny from 12/24/24 to 12/25/24.

At 5:40 a.m. on December 25, 2024, an order was received to switch to readiness level 1. At 5:48 a.m., I reported the transition to readiness level 1 via mobile communication. The mobile connection at the position was unstable, and I had no other reliable means of communication. Fiber optic cables had been laid but were not connected to the terminal, and there was no digital phone with a dial pad.

At 8:11 a.m., the target detection station detected a potential target, which I took on precision radar tracking and reported to the 51st Division's higher command post. At 8:13 a.m., I reported updated coordinates: α = 338 degrees, D = 7000 m, H = 490 m, V = 118 m/s, heading 230 degrees.

I was given an order by phone to destroy the target.

The target was not visible through the optics due to very dense fog, which was reported to the higher command post.

At 8:13:30 a.m., I gave the operator the command to engage. At 08:13:33, the missile launched from the launcher. At 8:13:47 a.m., the BM-72V6’s central processing system reported that the target was missed.

At 8:13:48 a.m., I gave the command for a second shot. According to the multifunctional radar station, the first missile was launched when the target’s coordinates were: α = 319 degrees, D = 7,300 m, H = 697 m, V = 80 m/s. The second missile was launched when the target’s characteristics were: α = 311 degrees, D = 8,000 m, H = 1,300 m, speed = 120 m/s."

As for the video itself, the editorial staff of Minval.az emphasizes that it is not shown in its entirety.

"We cannot confirm the authenticity of the letter, even though it is signed by the captain. However, its existence alone, and the potential significance of this document for both the ongoing six-month investigation and the public, compel us to publish it. In addition, the information may be useful to Azerbaijani authorities investigating the tragedy," the Minval.az editorial board stated.

Does Captain Paladichuk's timing match the “black box” data?

The preliminary government report on the Azerbaijani plane shot down by Russian forces, based on data from the flight recorder and compiled by a Kazakh government commission, includes the following details (pp. 12–14). The aircraft had flown over the Caspian Sea and crashed in Kazakhstan:

• 08:13:31 – a sonic boom is recorded,
• 08:13:56 – a second sonic boom is heard,
• 08:16:54 – the crew informs Grozny air traffic control of “a strong impact”: “The rear seats exploded.”

According to Captain Paladichuk’s written statement, he gave the command “Fire!” at 08:13:30 and again at 08:13:48.

Did the captain realize that he was targeting a plane, not a drone, as claimed by Russian propaganda?

Officially, Russian authorities avoid serious reports or discussions about the downed Azerbaijani airliner. Unofficially, the story is that Ukrainian drones were attacking Grozny, and in the counterattack, an accident happened. They claim they aimed at the drones but shot down a whole airplane instead.

However, the technical data Captain Paladichuk reported don’t match drone characteristics. Long-range Ukrainian drones available in December 2024 cannot fly at such high speed (120 m/s or 432 km/h) or at an altitude of 8 km without a jet engine. “So, the military had enough information to understand that the target was most likely an aircraft,” writes the independent Russian site The Insider.

Russian opposition investigators confirm that Captain Paladichuk is a real person and a member of the air defense forces

In his explanatory statement, Paladichuk said he was serving at Russian military unit 75564 in Khakassia at the end of 2024. He may have been on a business trip to Grozny at the time.

According to the Russian anti-Putin website Agents, which uses closed databases, Paladichuk, 32, was born in Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan. He began his service no later than 2010 at military unit 21059 in the Mogotui district of the Trans-Baikal Territory. In 2011 and 2013, his service was recorded at unit 31665 in Novosibirsk, part of the 14th Air Force and Air Defense Army headquartered there.

The news outlet Astra contacted Paladichuk directly. Although he refused official comments, he did not deny writing the explanatory note. “I know what is happening now between Russia and Azerbaijan... You know, there is a war going on, and I am far from politics,” he told reporters.

Later, the investigative outlet The Insider, working from abroad, confirmed the document’s authenticity. In an interview, Paladichuk admitted writing the memo to his army commander "after shooting at an Azerbaijani plane" because it was "demanded." He also confirmed unique features of his handwriting, including the distinct spelling of the Russian letter "ё."

To be continued

According to the editor-in-chief of Minval, Emil Mustafayev, the editorial team has more facts and documents about the plane crash and is considering publishing them.