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Russian Air Defenses Reportedly Mistake Civilian Aeroflot Jet for Drone, Nearly Shoot It Down
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
A Russian air defense system reportedly opened fire on a civilian airliner approaching Moscow, narrowly avoiding a deadly incident after mistaking the passenger jet for an incoming drone, according to Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov on July 11.
The aircraft in question—Aeroflot flight AFL1845 from Minsk to Sheremetyevo International Airport—was allegedly targeted by a Pantsir-S missile system during its runway approach in the early hours of July 11. The plane, a Boeing 737-800, sustained minor damage but landed safely without injury to passengers or crew.
Nevzorov cited unnamed sources and shared an audio recording in which a man’s voice repeatedly warns that the approaching aircraft is a passenger flight.
According to Nevzorov, the near-disaster occurred at 12:20 a.m. local time. Flight tracking data from the portal FlightAware confirms that AFL1845 departed Minsk at 11:27 p.m. on July 10 and landed in Moscow at 12:36 a.m., showing no visible anomalies in the flight path.
If confirmed, the incident would represent a major failure of Russian air defenses, highlighting the risk of so-called “friendly fire” incidents amid Moscow’s increasingly jittery response to drone attacks near its capital.
While Russian authorities have not officially commented, the episode adds to growing concerns over the reliability and rules of engagement of Russian air defense crews, especially in densely populated areas.
Earlier, Azerbaijani journalists 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.
