US, Azeri Officials Suggest 'External Interference' Caused Fatal Plane Crash

What Happened?

Azerbaijan Airlines and U.S. officials now suggest the passenger plane that crashed and killed 38 people on Christmas Day was hit by a weapon, according to reports.

After assessments Friday, Azerbaijani minister Rashan Nabiyev and White House national security spokesman John Kirby reportedly backed up aviation expert suggestions who blamed the crash on Russian defenses responding to a Ukrainian attack.

Azerbaijan Airlines said in a social media post on Friday that the airplane was downed by 'physical and technical external interference.'

Flights from Baku to eight Russian airports beginning Saturday have also been suspended until the completion of the final investigation.

Kirby reportedly declined to say much more outside of 'early indications' Russia was responsible, citing an ongoing investigation.

Azerbaijani news outlet Caliber also conducted a preliminary investigation and reported Thursday that Russian air defense systems were activated to take out Ukrainian drones during Wednesday's flight.

Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency initially attributed the crash to a collision with a flock of birds, according to reports.

The plane carrying 67 people from Azerbaijan went down in an area where Russia has reportedly activated air defense to take out Ukrainian drones.

Why it Matters

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha reportedly said in a statement Friday that Russian media has 'lied about the cause of the crash.'

Reports added that Sybiha suggested that Moscow 'forced the damaged jet to cross the sea, most likely in an attempt to conceal evidence of their crime.'

Sybiha met Friday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss battlefield updates and the U.S. support for Ukraine in its fight 'against Russia's aggression.'

Moscow officials issued warnings Thursday against speculation that Russia caused the fatal crash.

'It would be wrong to build any hypotheses before the panel of inquiry presents its conclusions,' Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Although the full conclusion awaits, the event still follows not long after Russia conducted a massive attack on a thermal power plant. That attack left one person dead and half a million Ukrainian households in Kharkiv without heat on Christmas morning.

Ukraine also reportedly launched an attack on Russia in Lgov that killed four people and left many more injured.

How it Affects You

Russia reportedly rebuffed President-elect Donald Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine recently.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly stated in a news conference Thursday that now 'a ceasefire is a road to nowhere,' but suggested that Russia is ready to negotiate a long-lasting peace agreement.

The official outcome of this pending investigation could push the two sides further away from these future negotiations.