An Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day was downed by a Russian air defence system, a preliminary investigation has found, according to reports.

Wednesday after Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 crashed as it attempted to make an emergency landing near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. View on euronews

Plane was attacked by a Pantsir missile system as it approached the city of Grozny, Azerbaijani news outlet AnewZ reports, citing government sources - Anadolu Ajansı

Aircraft disappeared from radars in Moscow’s airspace after communication system was ‘completely paralysed’

An Azerbaijan Airlines flight that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday was downed by a Russian air defence system, four sources in Azerbaijan with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters. An Embraer passenger jet crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday,

Senior officials told Anadolu that the plane that crashed near Kazakh city of Aktau was targeted by a Russian air defense system - Anadolu Ajansı

Footage of the wrecked fuselage appeared to indicate shrapnel damage and some aviation experts suggested the Azerbaijani Airlines plane may have been been hit by air defence syste

A prominent Telegram channel claimed that the aircraft was mistakenly targeted by a Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile.

An Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, resulting in 38 fatalities. Initial reports suggest the plane may have been struck by a missile. Investigations are underway, with various claims and caution against speculation from Russian officials regarding the crash's cause.

Despite initial claims that the plane had suffered a birdstrike and Russia's efforts to pour cold water on what it has described as 'speculation,' commentators have claimed it could have been anti-air