INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian surface-to-air rocket was accountable for the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432, which eliminated 38 passengers,
Azerbaijani mediareported Thursday.Unnamed Azerbaijani authorities mentioned by the Baku-based news company AnewZ said preliminary findings
suggest the missile was fired from a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system as the plane approached Grozny in the North Caucasus republic of
Chechnya on Wednesday morning.GPS jamming, formerly reported by Flight Radar 24, triggered the airplane to lose interaction with air traffic
control while flying over Russian territory, the authorities added.Chechnya and surrounding North Caucasus regions were targeted by drone
AnewZ stated that, under such conditions, Russian authorities were required to close airspace to civilian aircraft, however for unidentified
reasons, this was not done.Kadyrov Grozny International Airport at first blamed the airplanes rerouting over the Caspian Sea on thick fog
After regaining interaction, the aircraft came back on radar at a low altitude before it ultimately decreased in western Kazakhstan.Russias
civil air travel authority Rosaviatsia declared the crash was because of a bird strike
Air travel experts have raised doubts about that version of events as video footage of the crash revealed maneuvering issues consistent with
hydraulic failure, rather than the engine concerns normally triggered by bird strikes.AnewZ reported that the aircraft was rejected consent
to land at airports in Grozny and neighboring areas after it was fired upon by air defense systems
It consequently attempted to divert to western Kazakhstan before crashing near the city ofAktau, an oil and gas hub.Azerbaijan Airlines
stated there were 62 guests and 5 team members on board
Kazakh authorities, who are also investigating the causes of the crash, said 38 people had actually been killed and there were 29 survivors,
consisting of three children.A video circulated online Wednesday showed the downed planes tailfin filled with holes, causing suspicions that
the aircraft was struck by anti-air systems.Kazakh Senate speaker Maulen Ashimbayev condemned speculation surrounding the crash, arguing
that it was difficult to figure out the cause of the air catastrophe at this stage, the state-run news company TASS reported.Kremlin
spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed Ashimbayevs discuss Thursday, stating that we need to await the examination to conclude.A plane bring 9
hurt Russian residents who were on board Flight 8432 shown up in the Moscow region on Thursday, emergency situation authorities said.AFP
