International

Azerbaijani government sources say AZAL plane was hit by Russian missile

The Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people, was hit by a Russian anti-aircraft missile, two Azerbaijani government sources told EFE on Thursday on condition of anonymity.

According to sources, Flight 8432, from Baku, was hit by shrapnel from a surface-to-air missile while it was in the airspace of the Russian city of Grozny, its destination.

They also said that the authorities did not allow the emergency landing requested by the pilots of the Embraer 190 at Russian airports and diverted it towards the city of Aktau, in Kazakhstan, for which it had to fly over the waters of the Caspian Sea.

According to the pro-government agency Caliber.Az, the missile used against the plane was a Pantsir-S.

The same media outlet reports that Russian sources acknowledge that Russian anti-aircraft defences were trying to shoot down Ukrainian drones in the skies over Chechnya, where the AZAL plane was flying.

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In addition, the head of the Center for Combating Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Andri Kovalenko, said that the plane was shot down by a Russian air defense system.

“The explosion of an air defense missile damaged the plane and disabled its systems,” Kovalenko wrote on Telegram.

The black boxes are found

The black boxes of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people, have been found at the scene of the tragedy, Kazakh officials said today.

“During the inspection of the crash site, two flight recorders were discovered, which will be handed over to the Air Accident Investigation Department,” Abilaibek Ordabaev, the transport prosecutor of Kazakhstan’s Mangystau region, told a press conference.

He added that inspection work at the site of the accident, which covers more than 4,000 square meters, is “in the final stage.”

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According to Kazakh sources, specialists from the Brazilian company Embraer will be in charge of decoding the black boxes. They will arrive in the Central Asian country tomorrow to join the investigation.

Attacks on Grozny

The holes in the plane’s fuselage that appeared during the flight and can be seen in the passengers’ images could not have been caused by birds, as initially reported by Russian sources, he said.

“Russia had to close the airspace over Grozny, but it did not do so,” Kovalenko stressed, referring to the risks created by the drone attack that was taking place in Grozny at the same time.

The Russian city was attacked by drones on Wednesday morning, according to the secretary of the Chechen Security Council and nephew of the head of the region, Jamzat Kadyrov.

“Everything that flew was shot down,” he said on Instagram.

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The Ukrainian official said the plane “was damaged by the Russians and sent to Kazakhstan instead of making an emergency landing in Grozny and saving lives.”

The Kremlin calls for not rushing into hypotheses

Only the professionalism of the plane’s pilots prevented Russia from “turning this story into a Russian provocation against Ukraine,” he said, warning that Russia will do everything possible to hide its own responsibility for the plane crash and the deaths of people.

On Wednesday morning, 38 of the 67 people on board the plane died in the accident near the city of Aktau (Kazakhstan), after failing to land in the Russian city of Grozny (Chechnya).

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency earlier said the plane “hit birds” after which its captain decided to land at an alternate airfield in Aktau, Kazakhstan.

The Kremlin today called on people not to rush to conclusions about the causes of the crash.

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“It would be a mistake to formulate hypotheses before the conclusions of the investigation. We, of course, will not do so and no one should do so,” said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov at his daily telephone press conference.

Peskov insisted that it was necessary to “wait until the investigation is over.”

NATO calls for a “thorough” investigation

Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office spokesman Kanan Zeinalov said Thursday that Azerbaijani and Kazakh specialists are working together to clarify the causes of the tragedy, and Brazilian experts are also expected to join them.

Several pro-war Russian military bloggers, including Fighterbomber, have added their support to the theory that the aircraft was possibly shot down by Russian air defenses, noting that alleged shrapnel impacts can be seen in images of the wreckage of the plane.

NATO has called for a “thorough” investigation into the crash.

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“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and victims of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J28243. We wish those injured in the accident a speedy recovery and call for a thorough investigation,” NATO spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah said in a message on social media.

International

Two Police Officers Shot During Road Clearance Operation in Eastern Bolivia

At least two police officers were wounded by gunfire on Saturday during an operation to clear roadblocks in Bolivia’s eastern Santa Cruz region, which has remained partially cut off for 24 days amid protests demanding the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz.

The joint operation involving the Police and the Armed Forces began at 6:00 a.m. local time near the town of San Julián, approximately 117 kilometers northeast of Santa Cruz city. The effort focused on reopening an alternative highway linking the region with Beni and western Bolivia.

According to Santa Cruz Police Commander David Gómez, protesters initially responded aggressively to the security operation.

“Local groups organized themselves and began attacking us brutally with firecrackers, stones, and other objects,” Gómez told reporters. “We used chemical agents in an attempt to disperse the crowd, which was behaving aggressively.”

Authorities initially succeeded in reopening the roadway, allowing vehicles to pass through. However, protesters later regrouped and engaged in renewed clashes with police forces that lasted for more than four hours.

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During the confrontation, gunshots were heard, forcing both police and military personnel to withdraw from the area.

Gómez reported that one officer suffered a gunshot wound to the head, while another was struck in the right thigh. Both officers were evacuated for medical treatment.

The police commander stated that demonstrators not only carried out physical attacks against officers but also used firearms during the confrontation, prompting authorities to order a tactical retreat.

The incident marks a significant escalation in tensions surrounding the ongoing protests in Santa Cruz, where demonstrators have maintained roadblocks for more than three weeks as part of their campaign against the government.

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International

U.S. to invest $700 million in coal plants and mines under Trump initiative

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a $700 million funding package aimed at supporting the American coal industry, marking the latest step in his administration’s efforts to boost the use of the fossil fuel.

According to Trump, the funding will be used to keep 14 coal-fired power plants operating across ten states, maintain 42 coal mines, and support the construction of two new power plants and an export terminal.

The president said the initiative will be financed through the Defense Production Act, a law enacted in 1950 that grants emergency powers to the president to support and direct domestic industries considered critical to national interests.

Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has pursued policies designed to expand domestic energy production and roll back a number of environmental regulations. He has also repeatedly questioned the scientific consensus regarding human-caused climate change.

Coal remains the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel and is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions among major energy sources, making it a central focus of debates over climate policy and energy security.

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U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the initiative, describing coal as a critical resource for both electricity generation and industrial production.

The announcement comes as global energy markets continue to evolve. According to an analysis by the Global Energy Monitor, the world added and commissioned more coal-fired power capacity in 2025, although overall coal consumption declined. The report also found that the United States was the only major economy to record a significant increase in coal-fired power generation during that period.

The new funding package underscores the administration’s commitment to supporting traditional energy industries while debate continues over the balance between energy security, economic growth and environmental objectives.

International

Four decapitated bodies found in abandoned vehicle near Guerrero state Congress

Police in Mexico have found four decapitated bodies inside an abandoned vehicle parked near the state Congress building in Guerrero, authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The southern state of Guerrero, home to the resort city of Acapulco, has long been affected by violent clashes between criminal organizations competing for control of drug trafficking routes.

According to prosecutors cited by AFP, the bodies were wrapped in black plastic bags and left inside a car parked at one of the rear entrances of the legislative building in the state capital, Chilpancingo.

Authorities say the region has seen intensified conflict between rival drug trafficking groups, including the Sierra Cartel and Los Ardillos, a criminal organization that Indigenous communities have accused of carrying out attacks in the mountainous, impoverished areas of the state.

The ongoing violence highlights the persistent security crisis in Guerrero, where organized crime continues to exert significant influence over large parts of the territory.