Azerbaijani Minval claims AZAL plane was shot down in Russia by order

According to the Azerbaijani media outlet Minval, the Embraer 190 aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), which crashed near Aktau on December 24, 2024, was allegedly shot down on the orders of the Russian Defense Ministry. The outlet based its claim on an explanatory note from a Russian air defense officer, along with several voice messages.

A letter attributed to Russian Captain Dmitry Paladichuk states that he was on combat duty in Grozny from December 24 to 25, 2024, serving as the commander of an air defense combat unit. On December 25 at 5:40 a.m., he reportedly received an order to prepare for combat. At 5:48 a.m., he confirmed he was on alert via his cellular phone due to a lack of a stable alternative communication method. At 8:11 a.m., the target was detected and taken under tracking.

«I was given the order by phone to destroy the target,» the captain stated in the explanatory note.

According to the document, heavy fog prevented visual confirmation of the target through optical systems. At 8:13:30 a.m., a missile was launched on command from the post but missed the target at 8:13:47 a.m. At 8:13:48 a.m., the unit received a second order to fire again using updated coordinates.

Although Minval didn’t confirm the authenticity of the note, it suggested the material could be relevant to Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies investigating the tragedy. Subsequently, other media outlets, including Agents.media, Astra and Insider, reported that the letter’s authenticity had been confirmed.

On December 24, 2024, an AZAL aircraft en route from Baku to Grozny crashed near Aktau. The incident claimed the lives of 67 passengers, 38 of whom were Azerbaijani citizens. The tragedy followed a missile strike, as Russia was reportedly on high alert, anticipating an attack by Ukrainian drones.

In early February, Kazakh authorities published a preliminary report indicating multiple penetrating and non-penetrating damages to the tail section, vertical stabilizer, elevator and rudder of the aircraft. Some of the damage was rectangular, suggesting possible penetration by external objects.