Russia performs down hypothesis over reason for Azerbaijan Airlines airplane crash in Kazakhstan | EUROtoday

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Russia and Kazakhstan have tried to calm hypothesis about the reason for the Azerbaijan Airlines airplane crash, following claims it had been shot down by Russian air defence programs.

On Thursday, Moscow urged calm as its overseas minister stated it might be mistaken to come back to conclusions earlier than an investigation into the crash was full.

The flight had been set to journey to Grozny, the capital of Russia‘s Chechnya on Wednesday, but instead diverted and crash-landed a few kilometres short of Aktau airport in Kazakhstan.

Unverified video footage of the crash showed the aircraft descending and hitting the ground where it burst into flames, killing 38 of the 67 people onboard.

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Russia’s aviation watchdog stated a preliminary investigation indicated the pilot determined to vary touchdown web site after “a collision with birds”. But Reuters information company famous the airplane had diverted from an space of Russia that Moscow has just lately defended towards Ukrainian drone assaults.

On Wednesday Andriy Kovalenko, the pinnacle of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council’s Center for Countering Disinformation, took to X to say the airplane was “shot down by a Russian air defence system,” claiming to have seen footage from contained in the airplane exhibiting punctured life vests. Sources additionally made the identical declare to Reuters.

He stated: “However, admitting this is inconvenient for everyone, so efforts will be made to cover it up, even the holes in the remaining parts of the aircraft.”

An analyst at consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory additionally raised doubts over a fowl strike, including: “You can lose control of the plane, but you don’t fly wildly off course as a consequence.”

Both Moscow and Kazakhstan have sought to dampen hypothesis of Moscow’s involvement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying on Thursday an investigation into the reason for the crash is underway and that it might be mistaken to make “hypotheses” earlier than any conclusions are drawn.

Kazakhstan’s senate chairman additionally added that the reason for the crash was unknown and stated: “None of these countries – neither Azerbaijan, Russia nor Kazakhstan – is interested in hiding information. All information will be made available to the public.”

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Azeri president Ilham Aliyev additionally stated it was too quickly to take a position on the explanations behind the crash, and stated unhealthy climate in Grozny had pressured the flight to divert.

Mr Aliyev stated: “The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing.”

Commercial aviation-tracking web sites monitored the flight because it flew north on its scheduled route alongside the west coast earlier than it disappeared. It then reappeared on the east coast, the place it circled close to Aktau airport earlier than crashing into the seaside.

Kazakh officers stated these aboard the airplane included 42 Azerbaijani residents, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals. Five of the 67 had been crew.