Saturday, December 28, 2024

Russian air defenses allegedly shoot down Azerbaijani airlines plane


By:TII team
Date:
December 27, 2024

The photo shows the damage to the wreckage of an Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer passenger plane that crashed near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan December 25, 2024. Photo: The Administration of Mangystau Region/via AP

BAKU,— Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 crashed in Kazakhstan, killing all 38 people aboard, after being reportedly struck by Russian air defenses, according to four sources familiar with preliminary findings from Azerbaijan’s investigation.

The plane went down in a fiery explosion near the city of Aktau on Wednesday.

The flight had been en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, a city in Russia’s Chechnya region, before unexpectedly changing course. The Embraer passenger jet diverted hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea, before crashing along Kazakhstan’s western coast.

Initial reports suggested the plane may have experienced an emergency, potentially caused by a bird strike, as indicated earlier by Russia’s aviation regulator. However, questions remain about why the aircraft veered off its path.

The plane had been flying toward Makhachkala, a Russian airport, but it was closed on the morning of the crash.

According to one of the Azerbaijani sources, preliminary findings point to the plane being hit by a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system. The source noted that the plane’s communications were disrupted by electronic warfare while it was approaching Grozny.

“We do not suggest it was intentional,” the source told Reuters. “But based on the facts, Baku expects Russia to acknowledge that its air defenses shot down the Azerbaijani aircraft.” Three additional sources confirmed the findings.

Russian officials have yet to comment on the claims. The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

Kazakh officials, however, have not confirmed the theory that Russian air defenses were involved. Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozymbaev told reporters that he could neither confirm nor deny the reports.

In the region where the crash occurred, Kazakhstan’s transport prosecutor stated the investigation had not yet reached a firm conclusion.

Before Reuters published its findings, the Kremlin stated that it was inappropriate to make any assumptions while the investigation was ongoing. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that any conclusions should wait until the official inquiry was complete.

“It is wrong to speculate before the investigation reaches its conclusion,” Peskov said.

In a similar incident, Iran admitted in January 2020 that it had accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 people on board. The government expressed deep regret after initially denying responsibility.

In December 2019, a Bek Air passenger plane with nearly 100 people aboard crashed shortly after takeoff near Almaty, Kazakhstan. The aircraft slammed into a house, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more.

(Credit: Reuters)

Copyright © 2024 The Insight International. All rights reserved



Putin apologizes to Azerbaijan’s Aliyev for plane incident in Russian airspace


By:TII team
Date:
December 28, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin, December 26, 2024. Photo: Sputnik/pool/via Reuters

MOSCOW,— Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his apologies on Saturday for the “tragic incident” of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane that occurred in Russian airspace.

The incident, which involved flight J2-8243, resulted in the deaths of at least 38 people after the plane was struck by Russian air defences responding to Ukrainian drone attacks.

According to sources familiar with the preliminary findings of an investigation by Azerbaijani authorities, the passenger jet was accidentally shot down by Russian air defence systems.

The plane had been diverted from southern Russia, where Ukrainian drones were reportedly targeting several cities, and crashed in a fireball near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Kremlin said that President Putin conveyed his deep condolences to the victims’ families and wished a quick recovery to the injured.

The statement also explained that during the time of the incident, Ukrainian drones were attacking cities such as Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz, prompting Russia’s air defence systems to intercept the aerial threats.

The call of apology was initiated by President Putin, according to the Kremlin. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that the plane had suffered “external physical and technical interference” while flying in Russian airspace, which led to the plane’s loss of control and its diversion to Aktau.

The Embraer jet had been en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, before deviating off course across the Caspian Sea, ultimately leading to the tragic incident.

(Credit: Reuters)

Copyright © 2024 The Insight International. All rights reserved


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