Preliminary reports indicate that a Russian anti-aircraft system may have hit the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, a US official told Reuters news agency on Thursday.
The US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that if the preliminary investigations prove to be correct, they would underscore Russia's uncompromising approach since the start of the large-scale attack on Ukraine.
Earlier, four sources familiar with the preliminary findings of the investigation being carried out by the Azerbaijani authorities told the Reuters news agency that Russian air defense forces shot down the plane belonging to the Azerbaijani airline in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people.
Azerbaijan declared Thursday a day of national mourning for the victims of the plane that crashed on Wednesday, as speculations about the reasons for the crash are increasing.
The plane "Embraer 190" of the airline company of Azerbaijan on Wednesday left from the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku to the Russian city of Grozny. It diverted for reasons still unclear and crashed while attempting to land in Kazakhstan.
One of the four sources told the Reuters news agency that “no one is claiming that the crash was intentional. However, taking into account the facts, Baku expects the Russian side to accept responsibility for the downing of the Azerbaijani plane."
The plane crashed about 3 kilometers from the city of Aktau, after crossing the Caspian Sea. Mobile phone footage released online showed the plane making a steep descent before crashing into the ground. Other footage showed part of his body severed from the wings and the rest of the plane lying on the grass.
The prosecutor of the Ministry of Transport in Kazakhstan said that the investigation has not yet reached a conclusion about the crash of the plane. Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister, Qenat Bozymbaev, said he could not confirm or deny claims that the plane was shot down by the Russian air force.
On Thursday, national flags were flown at half-mast across Azerbaijan, traffic across the country came to a halt at midday and signals sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide minute of silence.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said it was too early to speculate on the reasons for the crash, but said weather had forced the plane to change its planned course.
Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said preliminary information indicated the pilots were forced to divert the plane to the city of Aktau after being struck by a flock of birds.
According to officials in Kazakhstan, 42 citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 Russians, six citizens of Kazakhstan and three of Kyrgyzstan were on board the plane. The Russian Emergencies Ministry on Thursday sent nine Russian survivors for medical treatment in Moscow.
After an official investigation into the crash began, various reports emerged on the cause of the crash, including claims that holes in the plane's tail indicate it may have been hit by Russian air defense systems. Russian air defense forces may have mistaken the plane for Ukrainian drones.
Asked about claims the plane was shot down by air defense weapons, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "it would be wrong to speculate before investigators give their verdict."
Kazakhstan's parliament speaker Maulen Ashimbayev also warned against hasty theories based on photos of the plane's wreckage, calling claims it was shot down by air defense weapons baseless and "unethical".
Other officials in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have similarly avoided commenting on the cause of the crash, saying they would await the final report from investigators. VOA (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
