Russia's Aviation Watchdog on Azerbaijan Airlines Crash

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia's aviation watchdog announced that an Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, had chosen to reroute from its original destination in Chechnya due to dense fog and a local alert regarding Ukrainian drones.

Rosaviatsia, the regulatory body, stated that the plane's captain was presented with alternative airports for landing but opted for Aktau in Kazakhstan. The watchdog pledged to provide comprehensive support to both Kazakh and Azerbaijani investigations into the crash.

Russia emphasized the need to await the completion of the investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident. Four Azerbaijani sources informed Reuters that the plane may have been hit by Russian air defenses.