Official statements or legal documents from Azerbaijan Airlines or relevant Azerbaijani authorities

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev Confirms Plane Crash in Aktau Caused by Ground Fire and Electronic Warfare, 38 Fatalities Reported

Dec 29, 2024, 11:22 AM

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that the plane crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, which resulted in 38 fatalities, was caused by ground fire. He stated that the aircraft, belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines, sustained external damage due to shelling while flying over Russian territory, near Grozny. Aliyev emphasized that the plane was rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare, countering earlier claims that it had collided with a flock of birds. The Azerbaijani leader expressed disappointment over misinformation from certain Russian circles regarding the incident.