The harrowing last words of the pilot of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight that tragically crashed on December 25, claiming 38 lives, have been revealed.

Evidence suggests that the Embraer E190AR jet may have been mistakenly targeted by a Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile launched from the Naursky district in Chechnya, Russia. The aircraft, initially presumed to have struck a flock of birds, was likely hit by Russian air defenses, mistaking it for a Ukrainian drone.

The damaged plane’s rear section, found intact at the crash site near Aktau in Kazakhstan, bore shrapnel damage consistent with a missile strike. Survivors also reported hearing an explosion outside the aircraft.

Sequence of Events

The flight, carrying 67 passengers and crew, was en route to Grozny, Chechnya, when Grozny airport was suddenly closed, forcing the pilots to seek alternative landing options. Partial transcripts of communications between the pilots and air traffic control detail a catastrophic sequence of events:

• 8:12 a.m.: The crew reported “both GPS lost” and requested vectoring back to Baku.
• 8:16 a.m.: The pilot reported a “bird strike in the cockpit” and control failure.
• 8:17 a.m.: The crew indicated a change of course to Mineralnye Vody airport in Russia but stated, “I can’t execute, control is lost.”
• 8:19 a.m.: The pilot reported high cabin pressure and stated, “My plane is losing control.”
• 8:22 a.m.: The crew noted hydraulic system failure. Despite this, they denied declaring an emergency, stating the aircraft was “in order.”

The aircraft disappeared from radar shortly after, reappearing near Aktau before crashing during a final attempt to land.

Investigation and Allegations

Reports from the Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which has ties to security services, suggest air defense units loyal to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov may have mistakenly fired at the plane. The channel claims a missile strike occurred about 18 kilometers from Grozny at an altitude of 2,400 meters.

Kazakhstan, where the plane crashed, has refused Russian and Azerbaijani participation in the investigation. Kazakh officials stated, “We will handle all facts, black box data, and evidence independently.”

Conflicting Narratives

Some Russian sources have attempted to blame the crash on a collision with a Ukrainian drone. However, investigative journalists from the Volya Telegram channel have dismissed this theory, stating that drones typically explode upon impact and do not cause shrapnel damage consistent with that found on the Embraer jet.

Volya reported that during the plane’s final descent, Grozny airport was closed due to suspected drone activity. In response, Pantsir-S1 missile systems reportedly began indiscriminately targeting aerial objects, including the passenger jet.

Aftermath

A Russian Emergencies Ministry aircraft has transported nine injured survivors, including a child, to Moscow for treatment. The crash left 29 survivors in total.

Ramzan Kadyrov has remained silent on the incident, but his nephew, Khamzat Kadyrov, Secretary of the Chechen Security Council, posted a video on social media showing a drone being shot down.

As investigations continue, many questions remain unanswered, with evidence pointing toward a preventable tragedy caused by a critical failure in judgment and coordination.