According to reports from independent Russian media, the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed on December 25 en route to Russia may have been shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile.

The plane carrying passengers from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in Russia’s Chechen Republic crashed near the coastal town of Aktau in Kazakhstan.

There were 67 people on board the plane, including 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyz citizens. According to the latest information, 38 people died in the crash.

The possible use of air defense systems coincides with several media reports that Chechnya was attacked by drones on the morning of December 25th.

According to the independent Russian media outlet Meduza, footage from the plane shows traces of a large surface-to-air missile impact in the tail area of ​​the plane. Similar-looking holes in the fuselage have reportedly been documented in numerous images and videos of military and civilian aircraft shot down by surface-to-air missiles.

According to the independent Russian newspaper Mediazona, survivors recalled hearing an explosion after failed landing attempts in Grozny. The aircraft then turned around and crossed the Caspian Sea towards Kazakhstan. While attempting to land at Aktau Airport, it broke upon impact and caught fire.

Meduza and Mediazona also cited pro-war Russian Telegram channels that showed photos of the crash that suggested the plane had been shot at.

Russia’s Federal Aviation Administration (Rosaviatsiya) initially claimed the plane had collided with a flock of birds, prompting the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. During the maneuver the aircraft “hit the ground”.

The black box was recovered from the crash site, Azerbaijani media reported. The analysis is expected to provide important insights into the events that led to the crash.

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