Russian missile could have caused AZAL plane crash
The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer passenger plane that crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25 could have been hit by a Russian missile over Grozny. This was reported to Euronews with reference to sources in the Azerbaijani government.
 
The Russian missile could have been launched over the capital of Chechnya due to the threat of a drone attack. Its fragments could have hit the plane. After the crash, videos and photos appeared showing multiple holes in the tail section of the plane with characteristic traces of shelling.
 
Sources also told Euronews that the damaged plane was not allowed to land at any Russian airport, despite the requests of the pilots. Instead, the order was given to fly in the direction of Aktau.
 
The speaker of the Senate of Kazakhstan, Maulen Ashimbayev, said that such versions are speculation. In his opinion, it is necessary to wait for the completion of the investigation. Rosaviatsiya explained the crash as an "emergency situation" that arose as a result of a collision with a flock of birds.
 
There were 67 people on board the Embraer, of which 42 were citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 of Russia, 6 of Kazakhstan and 3 of Kyrgyzstan. According to the latest information, 29 passengers survived.
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