Azerbaijani plane shot down by Russia – Reuters

Russian air defenses shot down an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane, killing 38 people. This was reported by Reuters on Thursday, December 26, citing four sources familiar with the preliminary results of the investigation.

Thus, one of the Azerbaijani sources familiar with the investigation told the publication that preliminary results showed that the plane was hit by the Russian Pantsir-S air defense system. And the plane’s communication with dispatchers was paralyzed by electronic warfare systems on approach to Grozny, the source said.

“No one claims that it was done deliberately, however, given the established facts, Baku expects that the Russian side will admit to shooting down the Azerbaijani plane,” the source said.

Three other sources confirmed that the Azerbaijani investigation reached the same preliminary conclusion.

A US official told Reuters there were indications the plane may have been shot down by a Russian air defense system. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that if the signs were accurate, they would show Russia’s recklessness in invading Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozimbaev said he could neither confirm nor deny the thesis that the plane was shot down by a Russian air defense system.

In this regard, the Russian Federation refused to comment on anything until the investigation into the plane crash is completed.

Earlier, Euronews wrote, citing sources in the Azerbaijani government, that the Russians attacked the plane on approach to Grozny with a missile from the Pantsir-S anti-aircraft complex, and then banned it from flying landing on Russian airfields and jamming electronic warfare communications. .

We remind you that on December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed in Kazakhstan. 38 people died then. There were a total of 67 people on board, mostly Azerbaijani citizens.