BAKU: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432, which crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, was reportedly struck by a Russian surface-to-air missile, according to a Reuters report released on Thursday.
The missile was allegedly fired during an operation to intercept Ukrainian drones over Grozny, Chechnya, and hit the commercial plane mid-flight. The strike caused shrapnel to injure passengers and crew aboard the aircraft.
Despite the pilots’ urgent requests for an emergency landing, the flight was denied access to all Russian airports and was forced to fly across the Caspian Sea toward Aktau. Adding to the chaos, the plane’s GPS navigation systems were reportedly jammed, complicating efforts to control the damaged aircraft. A Baku-based media outlet, AnewZ, identified the missile as being launched from a Pantsir-S air defense system.
Russian sources confirmed that their air defense forces were attempting to shoot down Ukrainian UAVs over Chechnya at the time of the incident. Chechen officials also acknowledged a drone attack over Grozny that same morning but stated that there were no casualties or significant damage reported from the UAV activity.
If the preliminary findings are verified, this would mark the second incident in a decade where Russian forces have downed a commercial airliner, following the infamous 2014 MH17 tragedy in Ukraine. That incident had drawn international condemnation and heightened tensions in the region.
The crash of Flight 8432 claimed the lives of several passengers, including Russian nationals and citizens from neighboring countries. Investigations are now focused on the circumstances surrounding the missile strike, the subsequent denial of landing rights at Russian airports, and the forced rerouting of the compromised aircraft.
Azerbaijani authorities have called for an independent international investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and assign responsibility. The crash has also prompted renewed calls for safety protocols in conflict zones to prevent further tragedies. Meanwhile, families of the victims await answers as they mourn their loss.