Azerbaijan has claimed that a passenger plane en route to Chechnya’s Grozny was brought down by a Russian Pantsir-S surface-to-air missile. This assertion follows an initial investigation into the crash, which occurred in Kazakhstan, leaving 38 people dead and 32 survivors.

The incident took place last Wednesday when Flight J2-8243, originating from Azerbaijan, was rerouted to Kazakhstan’s Aktau instead of its intended destination in Grozny. According to Azerbaijani officials, the crash was caused by the impact of the Russian missile. They stated that the aircraft’s communication system became non-functional due to jamming as it entered Grozny’s airspace.

At the time of the crash, Russian forces were reportedly engaged in intercepting Ukrainian drones in Chechen airspace. Azerbaijani officials clarified that there is no suggestion that the strike was intentional but emphasized that evidence from the ongoing investigation strongly points to the involvement of Russian air defense systems. They expressed hope that Russia would acknowledge the findings.

Russian authorities have denied these allegations, instead attributing the crash to a potential bird strike. A Russian official added that the dense fog over Grozny prevented the plane from landing, prompting air traffic control to direct it toward Kazakhstan. Aviation experts, however, questioned the bird strike theory, arguing that while it might disable an engine, it is unlikely to cause such a catastrophic impact leading to the plane crashing to the ground.

The ill-fated flight was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members. While 38 individuals lost their lives, an astonishing 32 people survived the crash. Rescue operations have been completed, and investigations are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.