Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 tragically crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, killing all 38 passengers onboard. Preliminary findings suggest the aircraft was struck by a Russian surface-to-air missile, according to Azerbaijani government sources.
The Embraer 190 jet was en route to its destination when it became caught in the crossfire of drone-related military activity above Grozny, Chechnya. The missile, identified as being from a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system, detonated near the plane mid-flight. Shrapnel from the explosion reportedly caused severe damage to the aircraft and injured passengers and crew.
Government insiders disclosed that the pilots had requested emergency landing permissions at Russian airports but were denied. Instead, the damaged plane was directed to fly across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan. Adding to the complications, the aircraft’s GPS navigation systems were reportedly jammed throughout its flight path, further impairing the pilots’ ability to navigate safely.
Russian military forces were allegedly targeting Ukrainian drones during the incident. Khamzat Kadyrov, head of the Security Council of the Chechen Republic, confirmed that a drone attack on Grozny occurred on the same morning, though no casualties or ground damage were reported.
This incident recalls past aviation tragedies involving military action, notably the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014. Should the preliminary findings be confirmed, this would mark the second time in a decade that Russian military actions resulted in the loss of a civilian aircraft.
Investigators are now focusing on several key questions, including why emergency landing permissions were refused, the circumstances behind the missile launch, and why the plane was directed to fly over open water with critical damage.
Updates on the investigation are expected as authorities work to uncover the full details of this devastating incident.
