An investigation into the deadly crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in Kazakhstan earlier this week came after the passenger plane experienced “physical and technical external interference,” the carrier said Friday.

The Kremlin has declined to state that Russian forces were responsible for downing the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 on December 25, 2024. Russia acknowledged that its air defense systems were active at the time of the incident to shoot down Ukrainian drones but has stopped short of saying it brought down the aircraft.

Azerbaijan Airlines said Friday the passenger jet that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day experienced “physical and technical external interference,” according to an early investigation.

Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, likely caused by Russian air defense, shines light on a glaring issue the Kremlin has long swept under the rug.

The extraction of flight data from the Brazilian-made Azerbaijan Airlines in Kazakhstan last month was completed at a lab run by Brazil's air force, according to a statement released by the entity on Monday.

The warning also includes non-EU carriers operating under EASA authorization.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has warned airlines against flying over Russia due to the high risks posed by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The warning follows the deadly crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan.

Russia and its four flight information regions (FIRs) to a list of potentially dangerous airspaces for civilian aircraft. According to the agency, the decision aims to "ensure maximum flight safety amid the ongoing full-scale war Russia is waging against Ukraine.