The tragic crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight this week, which resulted in 38 deaths and 29 injuries, occurred amidst rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian aviation official Dmitry Yadrov confirmed on Friday that the crash, involving a flight traveling from Baku to Grozny, was connected to Ukrainian drone strikes targeting the region. The plane, which was bound for Grozny in the Russian republic of Chechnya, struggled with landing due to heavy fog. During the landing attempt, the aircraft was reportedly struck, leading to its crash in Aktau, Kazakhstan, after an emergency landing attempt.
Azerbaijan Airlines attributed the crash to “physical and technical interference” but did not specify whether this was related to air defense systems or other factors. Following the incident, the airline suspended flights to several Russian airports but did not provide additional details.
Russian officials have largely refrained from comment, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that the cause would be determined by official investigations, without commenting on speculations of a Ukrainian attack. The investigation is being led by authorities from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, but no findings have been released. Rasim Musabekov, a member of Azerbaijan’s parliament, suggested the plane had been shot at while over Grozny and called for Russia to issue an apology.
Experts have pointed to damage on the aircraft’s tail section, speculating that it could have been caused by Russian air defense systems targeting Ukrainian drones. Reports from FlightRadar24 also highlighted strong GPS jamming, which suggests that Russian systems may have been trying to intercept drones.
The crash has caused significant disruption to air travel between Azerbaijan and Russia. Azerbaijan Airlines suspended flights to Grozny and Makhachkala, later expanding the suspensions to eight more Russian cities, while flights to major hubs like Moscow and St. Petersburg continue. Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air also suspended flights to Yekaterinburg, and FlyDubai halted services to Sochi and Mineralnye Vody until January 5. Additionally, Israel’s El Al canceled flights to Moscow due to “developments in Russia’s airspace.”
As investigators continue their work, Yadrov emphasized the need to examine multiple factors in the ongoing probe, which is being conducted with cooperation from relevant authorities. This incident adds to the growing concerns regarding air safety in the region, where the ongoing conflict and the use of advanced air defense and jamming technologies pose significant challenges to commercial flight operations.
