Azerbaijan Airlines stated that the passenger jet crash in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day resulted from “physical and technical external interference,” according to early investigations. A U.S. official and Reuters reported that a Russian anti-aircraft system may have downed the plane. Russia countered, claiming Ukrainian drone activity and fog near Grozny, Chechnya, forced the flight to divert. Attempts to land in Grozny failed, prompting the pilot to redirect to Kazakhstan. Ukraine’s foreign minister accused Russia of lying about the cause and called for an impartial investigation.
