Kazakhstan Plane Crash Linked to External Damage, Investigation Finds

A preliminary report highlights external damage to the Azerbaijan Airlines jet, but stops short of assigning blame for the Christmas Day tragedy.

Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024, killing 38 people, with 29 survivors.
A preliminary Kazakh investigation attributes the crash to external damage, including holes and deformations on the aircraft's tail, left engine, and wing.
Photos from the report show small, square-shaped holes and bent metal fragments, but the report avoids assigning responsibility for the damage.
Russia's air defense was active near the plane's intended destination of Grozny, with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin apologizing but denying direct responsibility for a potential misfire.
Azerbaijan has demanded Russia acknowledge a possible air defense error and provide compensation for the incident.