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Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash Near Aktau May Be Linked to Russian Missile Strike, Leaked Audio Suggests
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![Photo of Liubava Petriv]( "Photo of Liubava Petriv")
Azerbaijani journalists have released audio evidence suggesting that an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane, which crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25, was deliberately shot down on approach to Russian airspace.
According to Minval Politika, the materials were sent anonymously to their newsroom on July 1. The package included an internal statement allegedly written by a Russian air defense officer, along with audio and video files that appear to confirm a direct order to destroy the aircraft.
“I reported updated coordinates: α = 338 degrees, D = 7000 m, H = 490 m, V = 118 m/s, heading 230 degrees. I was given the order by phone to destroy the target,” wrote the officer, identified as Captain Dmytro Paladichuk.
He further noted that visual confirmation of the target was impossible due to weather conditions: “The target was not visible through optics due to very dense fog, which I reported to command.”
According to Minval Politika, the voice messages received alongside the letter support the claim that two missiles were fired at the aircraft.
“The audio recordings of three voice messages confirming the content of the letter can quite confidently be called authentic,” the outlet reported. “All three voices stated they gave the operational command, fired twice, and that missile shrapnel hit the aircraft.”
Earlier, President Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s support for Azerbaijan amid rising tensions with Russia, emphasizing the importance of territorial integrity and regional stability.
