Evidence Suggests Russian Military Shot Down Azerbaijani Passenger Plane in December 2024

Reported by Kokcha News Agency:
New details about the 2024 plane crash that heightened tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan have surfaced in Azerbaijani media. Minval, an Azerbaijani news outlet, published evidence indicating that the Russian military ordered a missile strike on Flight 8243, which crashed on December 25, 2024, killing 38 passengers and injuring 29 others.

Key Evidence
According to Euronews, a letter and audio recordings suggest that the Russian armed forces were involved in the missile attack. The letter, reportedly signed by Russian air defense officer Dmitry Sergeyevich Paladichuk, claims that Paladichuk acted under direct orders from the Russian Ministry of Defense to launch the missile strike.

Details from the Letter
The letter states that Paladichuk was on duty near Grozny on December 24-25, 2024. At 5:40 AM local time, his unit was ordered to go on full combat alert. Due to technical issues with mobile vehicles and the lack of functional wired communication, coordination relied heavily on unstable mobile connections.

At 8:11 AM, a potential target was detected and tracked via radar. Paladichuk was reportedly ordered by phone to destroy the target, after which two missiles were fired. The first missile missed, while the second exploded close enough to the plane to cause shrapnel damage.

Audio Recordings
Minval also claims to have obtained three audio recordings that support the letter’s allegations. The recordings reportedly include the order to fire the missiles, the sequence of the missile launches, and the confirmation that the target was missed.

Azerbaijani Government’s Response
On the day of the incident, Azerbaijani government sources told Euronews that a Russian surface-to-air missile was fired during a drone operation near Grozny. The missile exploded near the plane, causing shrapnel to hit the passengers and crew.

Despite the damage, the plane was reportedly denied permission to land at Russian airports and attempted an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan, before crashing over the Caspian Sea.

Statements from Leaders
Three days after the crash, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that the plane was shot down by Russia but did not suggest it was intentional. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on December 28, calling the incident a “tragic event” but did not explicitly acknowledge Russia’s responsibility.