Azerbaijan Probe Blames Russian Missile for Deadly Plane Crash

Azerbaijan’s initial investigation into the tragic crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 near Aktau, Kazakhstan, has reportedly found that the plane was downed by a Russian air defence system, according to multiple media outlets.

The flight, en route to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region, crashed on Wednesday, killing 38 people and injuring 29 others. Sources cited by Euronews, Reuters, and other outlets claim that a Russian Pantsir-S missile struck the Embraer 190 after its communications were disabled by electronic warfare systems.

Reports suggest the incident was unintentional, with the plane being misidentified while flying over a region previously targeted by Ukrainian drones. Russian officials initially attributed the crash to a bird strike, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov urged against speculation, emphasizing the need to wait for official findings.

Kazakhstan is conducting its own investigation and has refrained from commenting until the conclusion of its probe. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning, with President Ilham Aliyev calling the crash "a tremendous sorrow for the Azerbaijani people.