Azerbaijan Airlines plane downed by Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system – Budanov

The Embraer 190 passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines that crashed near Aktau, western Kazakhstan, on December 25 was reportedly shot down by a Russian Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense system.

Kyrylo Budanov head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), said this in a comment to The War Zone, Ukrinform reports.

"As far as we know, the jet was shot down by a Russian Pantsir S1 air defense system on Russian terrain," he said.

On December 26, several media outlets, including Reuters, citing sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of Azerbaijan's investigation into the disaster, reported that the plane had been struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system.

The Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet was en route from Baku to Grozny when it crashed near Aktau. Of the 67 people aboard, 38 lost their lives.