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On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190, operating as Flight 8432, crashed near Aktau International Airport in western Kazakhstan. The flight carried 62 passengers and five crew members, resulting in the loss of 38 lives. Initial reports suggested a bird strike as the cause; however, images circulated on social media showed shrapnel damage to the aircraft's tail and fuselage. This has led to speculation about a Russian air defense missile strike.
Euronews reported that "Azerbaijani government sources have exclusively confirmed to Euronews on Thursday that a Russian surface-to-air missile caused the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Aktau on Wednesday." According to these sources, the missile was fired at Flight 8432 during drone activity over Grozny. The explosion reportedly sent shrapnel into the aircraft mid-flight.
The report further noted that despite requests for an emergency landing, "the stricken Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft was 'not allowed to land at any Russian airports.'" As a result, it was redirected across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan's nearest airport near where it eventually crashed. Earlier accounts had attributed the inability to land to poor visibility.
