Azerbaijan Airline Crash Was Most Likely Caused by a Russian Missile

An Azerbaijan Airlines crashed Wednesday at the Aqtau Airport in Aktau, Kazakhstan; 28 of the 67 passengers and crew aboard are known to have survived; the circumstances of the crash indicate the aircraft suffered fatal damage as the result of a Russian surface-to-air missile.

Azerbaijan Airlines JS-8243 left Baku International Airport at 7:55 local time en route to Grozny Airport in Russia's Chechen Republic. The flight lasted just over an hour and was to arrive at 8:03 local time.

As the aircraft approached Grozny, its navigation was "exposed to strong GPS jamming and spoofing." Due to fog in Grozny, the plane was diverted to Makhachkala’s Uytash Airport in Dagestan, Russia, which is 95 miles east of Grozny.

GPS spoofing and jamming have been used by the Russians before, and it would be a logical part of any defense against long-range drone attack; see Is Russia's Baltic GPS Jamming Harassment or a Military Test Bed?

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Azerbaijan Airline Crash Was Most Likely Caused by a Russian Missile

redstate.com

 

[1LoverofGod]

Hmmm

 

[Margery]

Probably end up being Russian incompetence. Unless there was someone special flying from Uzbekistan to the heart of the Chechen Muslim province of Russia. Putin might be sending a message to the Chechens that he is still their supreme leader even if they got him to kiss a koran in the fall, and allow polygamy for Muslims in Russia last week.

 

[Margery]

Gave up trying to listen to Pete Garcia, and listened to Inside Russia's Konstantin talking about this crash. - YouTube

He had some interesting observations. It was shot by a Russian anti aircraft missile as it was on approach to Grozny and they refused to let it land. All nearby airports refused landing, and it was sent

BACK OVER THE CASPIAN SEA to go to Kazakhstan to land.

When Konstantin spelled out the geography - he points out that they probably shot it by mistake, (there is some story of a drone strike at the airport just before that) and were hoping it would crash in the depths of the Caspian Sea, never to recover the wreckage or the proof. The passengers who survived in the back half of the plane are able to recount the missile strike.

Russia's version of the FAA was trying to call it a bird strike till proof emerged of the real nature of the crash.

Sadly a lot of people including the pilot and copilot died, but they made it across the Caspian Sea to allow the truth to come out.

And it's Russian incompetence and inability to admit a mistake compounded by a coverup.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Probably end up being Russian incompetence. Unless there was someone special flying from Uzbekistan to the heart of the Chechen Muslim province of Russia. Putin might be sending a message to the Chechens that he is still their supreme leader even if they got him to kiss a koran in the fall, and allow polygamy for Muslims in Russia last week.

This was my first thought . . . ala Hillary . . .

I'd love to see the passenger manifest and who lived and who died.

Wonder who was in First Class?

I'm not convinced this wasn't an on-purpose, made to look like an accident (and now stupidity).
In part because all those airports refused landing.
In part because KGB never died and is still being the KGB, and President Putin is, and forever will be, KGB

 

[Margery]

This was my first thought . . . ala Hillary . . .

I'd love to see the passenger manifest and who lived and who died.

Wonder who was in First Class?

I'm not convinced this wasn't an on-purpose, made to look like an accident (and now stupidity).
In part because all those airports refused landing.
In part because KGB never died and is still being the KGB, and President Putin is, and forever will be, KGB

Yeah, that remains a strong possibility.

This Reuters report has a great map showing the weird way the flight path went. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-...t-azerbaijan-airlines-plane-crash-2024-12-27/

from the report "Two passengers on the plane told Reuters that there was at least one loud bang as it approached its original destination Grozny." which tells us that they were hit on approach to Grozny, their destination. They go inland to Ingushetia and are turned away, trying several times, and are told to go to Kazakhstan across the Caspian Sea, nowhere near their originating city of Baku which is just south of the border with Russia's Dagestan and Chechnya.

The original flight was scheduled from Baku in Azerbaijan - an independant country (escapee from the USSR) south of Grozny. Flying NORTH on the western shores of the Caspian Sea over Azerbaijan crossing over the Russian province of Dagestan (95% muslim) to Grozny inland capital of Chechnya all in Russia. Their original flight doesn't go over the Caspian Sea (except it follows the shoreline north to Grozny, then turning inland (west) to Grozny). All in Russian territory once it passed out of Azerbaijan.

Drones were reported attacking, at Grozny. Probably true. Ukraine might send drones a long way especially as Chechnya is a threat and Putin's area of support (as long as he keeps kissing korans, and granting polygamy) Foggy conditions.

Kazakhstan is also former USSR, now independent. The pilots manage to get the plane across the Caspian Sea despite a lot of trouble, and land on the coastal region, near a city called Aktau.

From the report about the passengers:
"At least 38 people were killed while 29 survived."

"The governments of passengers and crew on board - Azeri, Kazakh, Russian and Kyrgyz - and Brazil, which is home of the planemaker Embraer (EMBR3.SA) will likely be involved. The United States, where the plane's engine was made, may also participate. Brazil sent three Air Force investigators to Kazakhstan to take part in the probe. Embraer representatives are also on the ground, according to Kazakhstan's president, local media reported."

So definitely hit at it's destination of Grozny, turned away from emergency landing sites near Grozny. Flies inland in hopes of help, refused, returns to Grozny, sent out over the Caspian Sea to a third nation- Kazakhstan.

The nationalities of the passengers are Azeri, Kazakh, Russian and Kyrgyz. From a muslim former USSR nation, to a muslim area in Russia, across another muslim area. Dagestan and Chechnya are home to some very nasty Muslim groups.

Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are breakaways from the USSR. Somewhat independant. Kazakhstan is where a large number of Russian Orthodox Russians escaped to at the start of the Ukraine invasion, Konstantin among them. They have been good to the Russian expats.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Looks like the pilot did what he or she could to avoid extra hazards (mountains, etc.).

Also looks very, very deliberate, a huge set-up to destroy something/kill someone(s) important.

 

[Margery]

Putin issued a Russian apology without admitting any guilt over the downing of this plane: Putin sorry over Azerbaijan Airlines crash but does not accept blame

"Russia's President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan over the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, in which 38 people were killed - but stopped short of saying Russia was responsible.

In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the "tragic incident" had occurred when Russian air defence systems were repelling Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must "stop spreading disinformation" about the strike.

The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence as it tried to land in the Russian region of Chechnya - forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea."

CNN goes a little further into the excuses that Russia was giving- which Azerbaijan was angered by. Neither Azerbaijan or Russia are calling it anything but a tragic accident at this point. https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/29/asia/azerbaijan-airlines-crash-russia-intl/index.html Note that Russia was spinning more excuses than just a bird strike-this report includes a dispatcher saying an oxygen tank exploded inside the cabin shortly before the crash (which would have been accepted as a cause if the plane was on the bottom of the Caspian Sea as the Russian Air Traffic controllers hoped.

"The Azerbaijani president said the plane was damaged over Russian territory, adding that “means of electronic warfare put our plane out of control.”

“At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged,” Aliyev continued.

A Russian dispatcher said shortly before the crash that an oxygen tank exploded in the plane’s cabin, Kazakhstan’s Transport Minister Marat Karabayev said on Thursday.

Aliyev said this was “another regrettable and surprising moment” that “clearly showed that the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue, which, of course, is unbecoming of anyone.”

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin “apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace” in a phone call with Aliyev, adding that Russian air defenses were active at the time but stopped short of admitting fault.

Russian state media TASS reported that Putin and Aliyev had another call on Sunday, but did not offer any more information on the conversation.

Aliyev said Sunday that instead of making up theories about the reason for the crash, Russia should instead take the blame and apologize fully."

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

 

[Spartan Sprinter]

Putin issued a Russian apology without admitting any guilt over the downing of this plane: Putin sorry over Azerbaijan Airlines crash but does not accept blame

"Russia's President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan over the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, in which 38 people were killed - but stopped short of saying Russia was responsible.

In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the "tragic incident" had occurred when Russian air defence systems were repelling Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must "stop spreading disinformation" about the strike.

The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence as it tried to land in the Russian region of Chechnya - forcing it to divert across the Caspian Sea."

CNN goes a little further into the excuses that Russia was giving- which Azerbaijan was angered by. Neither Azerbaijan or Russia are calling it anything but a tragic accident at this point. https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/29/asia/azerbaijan-airlines-crash-russia-intl/index.html Note that Russia was spinning more excuses than just a bird strike-this report includes a dispatcher saying an oxygen tank exploded inside the cabin shortly before the crash (which would have been accepted as a cause if the plane was on the bottom of the Caspian Sea as the Russian Air Traffic controllers hoped.

"The Azerbaijani president said the plane was damaged over Russian territory, adding that “means of electronic warfare put our plane out of control.”

“At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged,” Aliyev continued.

A Russian dispatcher said shortly before the crash that an oxygen tank exploded in the plane’s cabin, Kazakhstan’s Transport Minister Marat Karabayev said on Thursday.

Aliyev said this was “another regrettable and surprising moment” that “clearly showed that the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue, which, of course, is unbecoming of anyone.”

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin “apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace” in a phone call with Aliyev, adding that Russian air defenses were active at the time but stopped short of admitting fault.

Russian state media TASS reported that Putin and Aliyev had another call on Sunday, but did not offer any more information on the conversation.

Aliyev said Sunday that instead of making up theories about the reason for the crash, Russia should instead take the blame and apologize fully."

Yeah typical of him isn't it