Signs Point To Russian Air Defense Downing Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 Aircraft

On 25 December, videos emerged online showing Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 operating as Flight 8432 crashing in western Kazakhstan near Aktau International Airport. The flight had 62 passengers and 5 crew onboard, of which 38 perished. Early reports suggested the aircraft succumbed from a bird strike. However, images shared on social media of the tail and fuselage seemingly peppered with shrapnel from an air defense missile led some to believe the aircraft may have been struck by Russian air defense. As Euronews has exclusively reported, citing links to Azerbaijani government sources, preliminary assessments are that a Russian missile struck the aircraft.