On the morning of the 25th local time, a theory has emerged that a passenger plane from Azerbaijan that crashed in Kazakhstan might have been mistakenly shot down by Russia.
British aviation security company Osprey Flight Solutions, in a warning to its clients, stated that based on the crash video, aircraft damage, and recent military activities, there is a high possibility that it was shot down by the Russian military’s air defense system.
Some experts analyze that the multiple holes found in the tail section of the crashed aircraft appear to be the result of a missile attack or air defense system operation.
Videos posted online show the plane descending at a dangerously steep rate before reaching Aktau.
Experts suggest that the erratic flight path and the abrupt steep descent right before landing indicate that the pilots were struggling to control the aircraft.
Aleksandr Avrayn, the founder of the flight-tracking site Aerotransport Data Bank, remarked that the aircraft seemed to have experienced several control issues.
The passenger plane was flying over Russia’s North Caucasus after departure, an area that has been targeted by Ukrainian drone attacks in recent weeks.
On the day of the crash, Russia’s defense ministry stated it had shot down 59 Ukrainian drones, with one reportedly shot down west of Vladikavkaz, near Grozny, just three hours before the plane crash.
When asked about claims that the Azerbaijani plane was attacked by Russian air defense assets, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it is inappropriate to propose hypotheses before investigators reach a conclusion, as reported by Associated Press.
Government officials from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan also refrained from commenting on the cause of the crash, stating that it should be determined by the investigators.
NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah on the 26th urged for a thorough investigation via X (formerly Twitter). NATO’s stance comes after suspicions of Russian misfire were raised, indicating a need for a comprehensive inquiry into Russia’s potential involvement.
[Photo source: Yonhap News / Azerbaijan Social Media Capture]
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