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It was Russian air defences that caused Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 to crash on Wednesday, killing 38 people and injuring 29 others, according to sources cited by the Reuters news agency.
However, this does not mean that the downing of the plane, which crashed in Kazakhstan, was carried out intentionally, as it was believed to be an air defence system that Russia uses in that area to counter attacks by Ukrainian drones.
The international news agency interviewed at least six Azerbaijani sources, one of whom claimed that preliminary results of the investigation showed that the Embraer plane was specifically shot down by the Pantsir-S1 air defense system.
"Their communications were paralyzed by electronic warfare systems during the approach to Grozny," said the source, adding that the Azerbaijani government is waiting for Russia to acknowledge the downing of the plane.
According to the Russian state-owned company engaged in the export and import of defense-related products, the Pantsir-S1 defense system is capable of neutralizing aircraft, helicopters, missiles, drones and precision ammunition. It is a modern anti-aircraft shield that Russia uses in several cities in the context of the military conflict with Ukraine.
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