Revelations of Russian Military Involvement in AZAL Civilian Aircraft Attack: New Evidence and Efforts to Conceal the Truth
Recent investigations published by Azerbaijani media shed new light on possible involvement of Russian military personnel in the attack on a civilian Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL). The incident occurred on December 25, 2024, near Grozny and has become one of the most mysterious aviation tragedies in recent times. Internal documents obtained by journalists include an explanatory note, allegedly written by Russian missile defense captain Dmitry Paladichuk. The note details a command to open fire on an airborne target that, by all indications, was a civilian aircraft. According to the documents and videos received anonymously, these materials verify the possible connection of Russian troops to this tragic event. An investigation by The Insider confirms the high authenticity of the documents and voice recordings, increasing the likelihood of their legitimacy. In the note, Paladichuk admitted during a phone conversation that he wrote the explanatory note after firing at the aircraft on the orders of his command and confirmed his handwriting. The document states that on the morning of December 25, during a drone attack on Grozny, the air defense system detected a 'potential target' that was difficult to visually identify due to fog and poor weather conditions. Based on radar data, the commander received an order to destroy the target. The first missile launch failed, prompting the decision to repeat the attack. Significantly, the speed of the target, 120 m/s at an altitude of around 8 km, did not match the characteristics of Ukrainian drones, indicating they were likely a civilian aircraft. It is known that Dmitry Paladichuk served in Russian air defense units, specifically in the 31665th unit based in Novosibirsk, part of the 14th Air and Missile Defense Army. Recall that the Embraer 190 aircraft, en route from Baku to Grozny, crashed near Aktau in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024. Of the 67 onboard, 38 lost their lives, and 29 survived. Preliminary investigations pointed to external objects penetrating the fuselage, causing extensive damage. It is probable that the aircraft was shot down by a Russian air defense missile, which was on high alert due to drone attacks in the region that day.