The possibility that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed on Wednesday in Kazakhstan was shot down by a Russian missile is the most likely scenario, as both Azerbaijani government sources and the US point in this direction.

In particular, Azerbaijani sources told Reuters earlier on Thursday that the aircraft was shot down by a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system.

The Embraer passenger plane crashed near the city of Achtau, killing 38 people. Earlier, it diverted its course over an area of ​​Russia where in recent months Moscow has used air defense systems to counter Ukrainian drone attacks.

The plane was operating flight J2-8243 from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, Chechnya. It crashed on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea after experiencing an “emergency”. According to Russia’s civil aviation service, it may have been hit by a flock of birds.

One of the sources who spoke to Reuters said preliminary investigations indicated the plane was hit by a Russian Pantsir-S anti-aircraft system. His communications were disrupted by electronic interference while approaching Grozny. “Nobody claims it was done on purpose. However, taking into account the facts, Baku expects the Russian side to admit the downing of the Azeri aircraft,” he added.

Videos of the crash site posted on social media and verified by Reuters show what appears to be shrapnel damage to the plane’s tail section.

US official: Early indications are that it was hit by Russian anti-aircraft fire

There are early indications that a Russian air defense system may have hit the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan yesterday, a US official told Reuters today.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed that if the indications prove accurate, it would show Russian recklessness in its invasion of Ukraine.

Authorities have no official explanation for the cause of the crash

Kazakh authorities are unable to confirm or deny that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed on Wednesday near the city of Akhtau was shot down by Russian air defenses.

Investigators have yet to come to any conclusions about the crash, District Transport Prosecutor Abilabek Ordabayev said.

Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said that so far there is no official explanation for the crash.

Don’t speculate, says the Kremlin

The investigation into the causes of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash is ongoing and it is wrong to speculate before it reaches its conclusion, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today.

An Embraer EMBR3.SA plane crashed on Wednesday near the Kazakh city of Akhtau, killing 38 people, after it veered off course over territory in Russia recently defended by Moscow from Ukrainian drone attacks. aerial vehicles (drones).

NATO: To fully investigate the causes

NATO today called for a full investigation into the causes of the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which killed 38 people.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and victims of flight J28243,” spokeswoman Farah Dakhlala said in a post on the X platform. “We wish the injured a speedy recovery and call for a full investigation,” he added.

The chairman of Kazakhstan’s Senate said earlier today that the cause of the crash is still unknown.

The Embraer passenger jet crashed on Wednesday near the Kazakh city of Akhtatu after earlier veering off course over an area of ​​Russia where Moscow says it has recently intercepted attacks by Ukrainian drones.