Official investigation report by Kazakhstani authorities or international aviation bodies

U.S. Intelligence Suggests Russia Mistakenly Shot Down Azerbaijani Embraer E190, Killing 38 in Kazakhstan

Dec 27, 2024, 07:35 PM

U.S. intelligence believes that Russia may have mistakenly shot down an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 flight that crashed in Kazakhstan, misidentifying it as an incoming drone. The incident, which killed 38 people, occurred after the plane was diverted from its intended route to Grozny, Russia, due to dense fog. The flight was en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny when it crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan. U.S. military officials cited by MSNBC and NBC News indicate that Russian air defenses engaged the plane, possibly due to its irregular flight pattern and altitude, amid heightened drone activity by Ukraine in the region. Azerbaijan Airlines reported experiencing 'physical and technical external interference' before the crash, and the airline has suspended flights to several Russian airports pending the investigation's completion.