New evidence has emerged implicating the Russian Ministry of Defense in the missile strike that downed an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 passenger flight on December 25, 2024. Azerbaijani media released intercepted communications and an anonymous explanatory letter from a Russian air defense captain, Dmitry Paladichuk, who reportedly witnessed the attack and confirmed that the order to fire was given by the Russian military. The missile strike caused the plane to crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, resulting in the deaths of 38 passengers and injuries to 29 others. The materials include audio recordings allegedly capturing the order to open fire on the aircraft, which Azerbaijani journalists say was mistakenly identified as a drone by Russian forces. This revelation has further strained diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Russia amid ongoing tensions. Separately, the Russian Investigative Committee has identified Ukrainian commander Nikolay Dzyaman as responsible for ordering the shoot-down of a Ukrainian Il-76 aircraft carrying 65 prisoners of war in 2024; Dzyaman has been placed on an international wanted list.