**Azerbaijani Airliner Was Hit by Russian Missile**
An official from Azerbaijan has told Reuters that the country’s airliner, which crashed in Kazakhstan last December, was hit by a Russian air defense missile. The plane had been flying from Baku to Grozny in Russia when it suddenly changed course and crashed near the city of Aktau, killing 38 people.
**Details of the Crash**
The Azerbaijan Airlines plane was on its way from Baku to Grozny on December 25 when it suddenly diverted from its route. It crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 out of 67 people on board. The source revealed that a fragment of a Russian Pantsir missile had been found on the plane and analysis was underway.
**Investigation Results**
The authorities in Kazakhstan released preliminary results of their investigation into the crash on February 4. They concluded that the plane had collided with “foreign metal objects,” which caused significant damage to the aircraft. The black boxes from the plane were also analyzed, but no further details were given.
**Previous Accusations and Criticism**
The government in Baku had previously accused Russia of accidentally shooting down the plane and demanded an apology and reparations. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the incident occurring in Russian airspace, but stopped short of admitting responsibility. The Azerbaijani president later criticized Russia’s handling of the incident, accusing its agencies of suppressing evidence.
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