Plane crash in Kazakhstan: was it hit by Russia's air defenses?

Plane crash in Kazakhstan: was it hit by Russia's air defenses?

After the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane in Kazakhstan two weeks ago, in which 38 people died and 29 survived, experts have declared the airspace over Russia to be “high risk”. The incident, which occurred on December 25 near the city of Aktau, has alerted the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Due to the conflict in Ukraine, there is an increased risk that civilian aircraft in Russian airspace could inadvertently become the target of military attacks, the authority said. Azerbaijan and Russia are now jointly investigating after Azerbaijan expressed belief that the plane was shot down by a Russian air defense system as it diverted before attempting to land in Grozny, according to the report Austrian News reported.

Focus on the cause of the crash

It was previously known that the accident occurred while the plane was on its way from Baku to Grozny, but deviated far from course and flew over the Caspian Sea. Witnesses reported that the plane made several maneuvers before crashing near Aktau. The Russian aviation authority points to safety reasons why the plane did not land. Further investigations revealed that there may have been a collision with external influences, the reported daily news. There could be holes in the wreckage that indicate an attack. Survivors described an explosion experience shortly before the crash, reinforcing suspicions of a fake military shelling.

The incident is being closely investigated in both Azerbaijan and Russia. Azerbaijani media reports that there are signs that a Russian defense system such as the “Pantsir-S” may have led to the accident. Political tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia are heating up, especially after Azerbaijan called the Russian response inadequate and called it an “accidental shoot down.” In response to the incident, several airlines temporarily suspended their connections to Russian airspace, including Azerbaijan Airlines, which is canceling five destinations in Russia and has issued safety warnings.