Azerbaijani and U.S. officials suggest plane that crashed may have been hit by weapons fire

Russian air defense systems may have brought down an Azerbaijani airliner this week, a U.S. official said Friday after an Azerbaijani minister also suggested the plane was hit by a weapon, citing expert analysis and survivor accounts.

Friday's assessments by Rashan Nabiyev and White House national security spokesman John Kirby echoed those made by outside aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. These statements raised pressure on Russia, where officials said a drone attack was underway in the region where the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was heading for a landing. They did not address statements blaming air defenses.

Kirby told reporters on Friday that the U.S. "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems,” but refused to elaborate, citing an ongoing investigation.

Pressed on whether the U.S. has intelligence that helped lead to that conclusion, or was simply relying on informed speculation from experts based on visual assessments of the crash, Kirby characterized the short answer as “yes” but said he’d “leave it at that,” without providing further details.

The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, on Wednesday when it turned toward Kazakhstan and crashed while making an attempt to land. The crash killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured.

Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s minister of digital development and transportation, told Azerbaijani media that “preliminary conclusions by experts point at external impact,” as does witness testimony.

“The type of weapon used in the impact will be determined during the probe,” Nabiyev said.

Passengers and crew who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media that they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it was circling over Grozny.

Flight attendant Aydan Rahimli said that after one noise, the oxygen masks automatically released. She said that she went to perform first aid on a colleague, Zulfugar Asadov, and then they heard another bang.

Asadov said that the noises sounded like something hitting the plane from outside. Shortly afterwards, he sustained a sudden injury like a “deep wound, the arm was lacerated as if someone hit me in the arm with an ax," he added. He denied a claim from Kazakh officials that an oxygen canister exploded inside the plane.

Two other survivors recounted hearing explosions before the plane went down: Jerova Salihat told Azerbaijani television in an interview in the hospital that “something exploded” near her leg, and Vafa Shabanova said that “there were two explosions in the sky, and an hour and a half later the plane crashed to the ground.”

Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic.

Yadrov said that after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau in Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea.

He didn’t comment on statements from some aviation experts, who pointed out that holes seen in the plane’s tail section suggested that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems.

Ukrainian drones have previously attacked Grozny and other areas in the Russian North Caucasus.

Azerbaijan Airlines blamed the crash on unspecified “physical and technical interference” and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn’t say where the interference came from or provide any further details.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the claims that the plane was hit by Russian air defenses, saying that it will be up to investigators to determine the cause of the crash.

“The air incident is being investigated, and we don’t believe we have the right to make any assessments until the conclusions are made as a result of the investigation,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.

If it’s proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian air defenses, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014.

Russia has denied responsibility, but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base.

Investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny as part of the probe of Wednesday's crash, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s office said in a statement.

Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozy and Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities.

The company will continue to operate flights to six Russian cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. Those cities also have been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes in the past.

Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air also announced Friday that it was suspending flights from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month.

FlyDubai also halted flights to Sochi and Mineralnye Vody in southern Russian for the next few days.

The day before, Israel's El Al carrier suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Moscow citing “developments in Russia’s airspace." The airline said it would reassess the situation next week.

Associated Press writers Will Weissert in Washington and Aida Sultanova in London contributed to this report.

This image from video released by the administration of the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan, shows the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (Administration of the Mangystau Region via AP)

This photo provided by the administration of the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan shows a group of surviving passengers of the crashed Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 prior to departure to Baku at the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Administration of the Mangystau Region via AP)

This image from video released by Kazakhstan Emergency Ministry Press Service on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, shows the crash landing of the Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kazakhstan Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

Rescuers transport wounded passengers from a medical plane after the Azerbaijani Airline crashed, near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, upon their arrival at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport outside Baku, Azerbaijan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

The head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in St. Petersburg Vagif Mamishev lays flowers at the Consulate of Azerbaijan in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in memory of victims of the Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 that crashed near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Cadets of the aviation school lay flowers in memory of victims of the Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 that crashed near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau, at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport outside Baku, Azerbaijan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

Workers carry a coffin with a body of a victim from a medical plane after the Azerbaijani Airline crashed, near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, upon their arrival at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport outside Baku, Azerbaijan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

Wounded passengers of the Azerbaijani Airline's plane crashed near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, are transported from a medical plane at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport outside Baku, Azerbaijan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)

In this photo released by Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service, a rescuer search at the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 laying on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, a part of Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)

Tennessee (3-12) at Jacksonville (3-12)

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Jaguars by 1.

Against the spread: Titans 2-13; Jacksonville 7-7-1.

Series record: Titans lead 35-25.

Last meeting: Jaguars beat the Titans 10-6 in Nashville on Dec. 8.

Last week: Titans lost 38-30 at Indianapolis; Jaguars lost 19-14 at Las Vegas.

Titans offense: overall (27), rush (21), pass (26), scoring (T25).

Titans defense: overall (5), rush (23), pass (1), scoring (31).

Jaguars offense: overall (26), rush (26), pass (21), scoring (28).

Jaguars defense: overall (32), rush (20), pass (32), scoring (29).

Turnover differential: Titans minus-15; Jaguars minus-15.

Despite three interceptions last week, the Titans are sticking with QB Mason Rudolph in hopes he will show some improvement as coach Brian Callahan wraps up his first season after being hired specifically for his history with quarterbacks. Rudolph led Tennessee to 23 consecutive points against the Colts — the team's second straight scoring flurry under the veteran — before running out of time.

Brian Thomas Jr. now holds every franchise rookie receiving record and is one of Jacksonville's few bright spots in 2024. He's been targeted 49 times the past four games, with fellow receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis out for the season. He has 73 catches for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Titans know Jacksonville will try to run on them early and often after they gave up 335 yards rushing last week to the Colts. It's the most in an NFL game this season and the most for the former AFL franchise since 1961. Tennessee held the Jaguars to 26 yards rushing in their previous meeting.

The Titans placed starting LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (wrist) on injured reserve Wednesday. ... K Nick Folk will miss a second straight game with an abdominal injury. That means Matthew Wright, signed Thursday to the practice squad, will be elevated and kick. ... Starting RG Dillon Radunz (shoulder) is out with Daniel Brunskill expected to replace him in the lineup with Corey Levin at C. ... Starting S Amani Hooker (shoulder) is questionable after not practicing all week. ... The Titans should have starting LB Luke Gifford back from the concussion that sidelined him last week. ... The Jaguars will be without LT Walker Little (ankle) for the rest of the season. Cole Van Lanen will start in his place. ... S Darnell Savage (concussion) remains in the league's protocol, thrusting veteran Andrew Wingard into the starting lineup. ... LB Ventrell Miller (ankle) also is out. ... Jacksonville added LB Yasir Abdullah to the injury report Friday as questionable with an illness.

This is the second game between these teams in a four-week span. The Jaguars are trying to sweep the season series for the second time in three seasons. They also have won four of the past five between these teams. The Titans won the 2023 regular-season finale in coach Mike Vrabel's last game before he was fired two days later.

The Titans can finish with a .500 record inside the AFC South if they win their final two games. ... The Titans have scored TDs on seven straight trips inside the opponent's 20 over the past two games. ... The Titans have had at least one interception in five straight games. S Amani Hooker set a career high with his fifth of the season last week, which leads Tennessee. ... Folk has made an NFL-record 85 consecutive field goals on attempts from less than 40 yards. Folk also has 403 field goals, putting him 14th in NFL history. ... The Jaguars are 2-9 in one-score games. ... Thomas is the first rookie in franchise history and the 25th in league history to top 1,000 yards receiving. He needs seven receptions to become the seventh player in team history with at least 80 catches in a season. ... DE Josh Hines-Allen needs 3 1/2 sacks to set the franchise record held by Tony Brackens (55). ... DE Travon Walker needs one sack to move into the top 10 in franchise history. ... RB Travis Etienne needs 21 yards rushing to pass Leonard Fournette (2,631) for fourth in franchise history. ... PK Cam Little needs 14 points to break Fred Taylor's franchise record (102) for most by a rookie.

Titans WR Calvin Ridley returns to Jacksonville for the first time since playing for the Jaguars in 2023. Ridley caught seven passes for 59 yards in the teams' first meeting.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11) looks to throw a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones, center, is forced to throw the ball away as he is pressured by Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle John Jenkins, second from right, as Jaguars center Mitch Morse (65) and Jaguars offensive tackle Anton Harrison, left, try to make blocks during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan looks up from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard (42) breaks up a pass intended for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (15) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. runs to the end zone for a touchdown after making a catch against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)