Government officials in Baku told Euronews that the Airbus, operating as Flight 8432, was hit by shrapnel after a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system fired on the aircraft during drone activity above Grozny. The cabin and flight deck reportedly sustained critical damage in the mid-air explosion.
Russian authorities, facing apparent drone attacks over Chechnya, allegedly denied the pilot’s requests to land at nearby Russian airports. Instead, the plane was directed to cross the Caspian Sea and attempt an emergency landing in Aktau.
Data provided to Euronews suggests the aircraft’s GPS navigation systems were jammed while flying above the sea. According to the Baku-based AnewZ outlet, the missile targeted the commercial plane amid Russian efforts to shoot down Ukrainian UAVs.
Chechen Security Council head Khamzat Kadyrov confirmed a drone attack on Grozny took place on Wednesday morning, though he reported no injuries or ground damage.
On Friday, the Azerbaijani airline announced it will cease flights to Sochi, Ufa, Samara, Volgograd, Grozny, Mineralnye Vody, and Makhachkala from December 28, citing “safety reasons”. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air also announced that it would not operate flights to Yekaterinburg.
If confirmed, the incident would mark the second time in a decade that Russian forces have downed a civilian passenger plane, following the 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine.
Investigators are expected to look into why the aircraft was barred from Russian airspace, the impact of electronic jamming, and the order forcing a crippled plane to make a perilous overwater flight.
(jh)
Source: Euronews, PAP