Russian Missile Blamed for Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 Crash

A preliminary investigation has revealed that a Russian missile caused the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432, killing 38 passengers. The incident occurred near Aktau, Kazakhstan, when the flight was denied landing permission in Russia and forced to continue across the Caspian Sea.

In a tragic turn of events, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, after being struck by a Russian missile, according to a report by Euronews citing Azerbaijani government sources. The incident resulted in the loss of 38 lives among the 62 passengers and five crew members on board.

The Embraer 190 aircraft was traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, to Grozny, Russia. The missile reportedly struck during a drone operation over Grozny, causing shrapnel injuries to passengers and crew. Despite the pilots' requests, the plane was denied landing at Russian airports, forcing it to head towards Aktau.

Sources from Euronews indicated the missile originated from a Pantsir-S air defense system amid Russian forces targeting Ukrainian drones. Chechnya's Security Council head, Khamzat Kadyrov, noted a drone attack earlier that day. This crash could be the second air incident involving Russian forces in a decade, echoing the downing of MH17 in Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies.)