Russia downplays speculation over deadly Azerbaijan Airlines crash
Officials in Russia and Kazakhstan have remained tight-lipped following the tragic crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Christmas Day. The crash, which claimed the lives of 38 people, has sparked speculation and accusations regarding the cause of the incident.
A Ukrainian national security official has pointed the finger at Russian air defense fire as the reason behind the deadly crash. According to reports, the Embraer 190 passenger jet was flying from Azerbaijan to Russia with 62 passengers and five crew members on board when it veered off course and crashed on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea. Twenty-nine individuals miraculously survived the crash.
Video footage of the incident showed the plane rapidly descending before bursting into flames upon impact with the seashore. Thick black smoke billowed into the air following the crash, leaving a devastating scene in its wake.
Despite the Ukrainian official’s claims, officials in Russia and Kazakhstan have refrained from commenting on the cause of the crash, urging patience as investigations are ongoing. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, emphasized the need to await the investigators’ findings before drawing conclusions.
The plane was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, to Grozny in the North Caucasus region of Russia when the crash occurred. The Ukrainian official’s allegations have stirred controversy, with some pointing to the possibility of a Russian air-defense system being responsible for the tragedy.
Aviation-security firm Osprey Flight Solutions suggested that the plane may have been shot down by a Russian military air-defense system, based on video evidence and the security environment in the region. However, Russian aviation authorities have attributed the crash to an emergency possibly caused by a bird strike.
In the wake of the crash, Azerbaijan declared a national day of mourning to honor the victims. Flags were lowered, traffic halted, and moments of silence observed across the country as the nation grieved the loss of those aboard the ill-fated flight.
As investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the crash, questions remain unanswered about what led to the tragic incident. The families of the victims, as well as the international community, are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the investigations to shed light on the events that unfolded on that fateful Christmas Day.
