An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 aircraft was reportedly struck by a Russian Pantsir air defense system while en route from Baku to Grozny. The plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, with 67 people on board, of whom 38 lost their lives.

According to Azerbaijani sources, the plane was targeted as it approached Grozny, with its communication systems disabled by Russian electronic warfare, causing it to disappear from radar before reappearing near the Caspian Sea.

The crash occurred as the plane diverted towards Aktau, where it attempted an emergency landing. Dramatic cellphone footage captured the aircraft’s steep descent and fiery crash.

The Kremlin has called for restraint in speculation about the crash’s cause. “Aviation incidents require thorough investigations by specialized authorities,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, adding that it was premature to draw conclusions.

Theories suggesting the plane was shot down by a missile countering a Ukrainian drone were dismissed as baseless by Kazakh Senate Chairman Maulen Aschimbayev.

Flight recorders have been recovered and will be analyzed alongside radio communications to determine the cause of the crash.