Ukrainian drone attack under way before Azerbaijani plane crash – aviation chief

The wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)

Russia’s aviation chief said on Friday that a Ukrainian drone attack was under way in the Russian region that an airliner was destined for before it diverted and crashed earlier this week.

Dmitry Yadrov, of Rosaviatsia, did not comment on statements by an Azerbaijani politician and some aviation experts who blamed Wednesday’s Azerbaijan Airlines crash on Russian air defences responding to a Ukrainian attack.