Kremlin: Investigation Underway for Plane Crash, Speculation Misguided

moscow - The Kremlin warns against speculating on the cause of a deadly plane crash in Kazakhstan, as investigation is ongoing.

The passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines crashed in the southwestern Aktau on Wednesday, en route from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Chechnya in Russia. 38 out of 67 passengers and crew members lost their lives.

Ukraine suspects the plane was shot down by Russian air defense. The Wall Street Journal reports that the crash is 'likely' caused by Russian anti-aircraft artillery, based on information from Ukrainian authorities, Russian military bloggers, and aviation experts.

According to the Russian aviation authority, a bird flew into the engine. Azerbaijan Airlines stated that the aircraft encountered a flock of birds.

Rescuers have recovered the black boxes, which are expected to aid in determining the cause of the crash. The bodies of the deceased occupants have also been retrieved. The passengers of the crashed plane were from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.