Russia reportedly attempted to make the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in to the sea by refusing permission to let it land after a missile attack before jamming its navigation system.

A Russian surface-to-air missile struck the flight on Christmas Day, causing the airliner to crash in Kazakhstan - a tragedy which claimed the lives of 38 people.

Sources told Euronews that the missile was fired at Flight 8432 amid drone air activity above Grozny, the Chechen capital, citing a preliminary investigation.

They said the pilot was blocked from landing at any Russian airports despite making emergency pleas, and was instead ordered to carry on into Kazakhstan.

Taking to X, citing pro-government media, The Azeri Times confirmed that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane was denied emergency landings by Russia at three nearby conditions, despite its critical condition.

The news outlet also stated that the plane was subjected to 'extreme GPS jamming' which forced its hero pilot, Aleksandr Kalyaninov, to divert the flight over the Caspian Sea, where it eventually landed in Aktau, Kazakhstan.

Local media cited government sources in suggesting jammers 'paralysed' the plane's communication systems'. 

According to Flightradar24 data, the aircraft departed Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, at 03:55am and valid position data was received from the aircraft until 04:25am when the flight encountered 'significant GPS interference'.

The airliner stopped pinging positional data altogether for the period between 04:25am and 04:37am, the data revealed.

And between 04:37am and 04:40am the aircraft sent likely erroneous position data, the flight tracker claims.

Flightradar24 receivers did not receive data from the aircraft between 04:40am and 05:03am and between a second gap from 05:04am to 05:13am. 

From 05:13am until 06:07am all data received from the aircraft lacked positional information, it said, adding, from 06:07am through the end of the flight at 06:28am, position data was received from the aircraft.

Government sources said previously the plane was hit by a missile fired from a Pantsir-S air defence system from the Naursky district of Chechnya.

Thirty-eight passengers were killed in yesterday's crash as the plane attempted to make an emergency landing before erupting in a fireball.

Russia has tried to play down speculation the flight had been shot down by a Russian missile, urging patience while the investigation is carried out.

Kazakhstan has said it would be carrying out an investigation into the crash, suggesting it would cooperate with Azerbaijan but not Russia. Azerbaijan is understood to be conducting its own investigation.

A source familiar with the Azerbaijani investigation told Reuters that while 'no one claims that it was done on purpose', Baku 'expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft'.

It comes as Azerbaijan observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the air crash. National flags were lowered this morning, traffic across the country stopped at noon, and signals were sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide moment of silence for the victims of the horrifying crash.

Footage from the crash site shows rescuers looking for survivors inside the Azerbaijan airlines flight from Baku to the Russian city of Grozny, which crashed with 67 passengers and five crew members on board.

There was mayhem as rescuers went inside the severed rear of the aircraft, where several people can be seen lying on the ground. Astonishingly, some were found still alive.

One trapped woman shouted at rescuers: 'Help me please!'. A firefighter asked her whether she needed help to get up, and she confirmed that she would need to be lifted out of the debris.

It is understood that at least 29 people reported to have survived the crash were found in the rear section of the aircraft, with the front being badly destroyed by fire.

Latest figures indicate 22 of the 29 survivors are being treated in hospital, seven of whom are in serious condition. At least ten people dying after reportedly being thrown out of the cabin.

One terrifying video shows the moment the plane burst into flames and broke into several parts as it hit the ground, with thick black smoke rising up from the wrecked aircraft after.

Later bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact.

Azerbaijan Airlines, the country's flag carrier, said the Embraer 190 had 'made an emergency landing' around three kilometres from Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea.

'A plane doing the Baku-Grozny route crashed near the city of Aktau. It belongs to Azerbaijan Airlines,' the Kazakh ministry said on Telegram.

The Embraer E190AR with registration number 4K-AZ65 sent out a distress signal at an altitude of 2,125 feet over the Caspian Sea.

Ahead of the crash, the crew had reported a strong impact on the hull. They assumed the aircraft hit a flock of birds but later evidence piled up that it was a misguided Russian air defence strike.

Authorities in Kazakhstan said they had begun looking into different possible versions of what had happened, including a technical problem, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

Following the crash, Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, was returning home from Russia where he had been due to attend a summit on Wednesday, Russia's RIA news agency reported.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, expressed his condolences in a statement and said those being treated in hospital were in an extremely serious condition and that he and others would pray for their rapid recovery.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to Aliyev over the loss of life, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

'Unfortunately, Azerbaijan's President Aliyev was forced to leave St Petersburg (where he had a summit). Putin has already called him and expressed his condolences in connection with the crash of the Azerbaijani plane in Aktau,' Peskov said.

'We deeply sympathise with those who lost their relatives and friends in this plane crash and wish a speedy recovery to all those who managed to survive.'

Aktau residents have been asked to donate blood for the survivors. 

Authorities in Kazakhstan said a government commission had been set up to investigate what had happened and its members ordered to fly to the site and ensure that the families of the dead and injured were getting the help they needed.

Kazakhstan would cooperate with Azerbaijan on the investigation, the government said.

Grozny - the destination - is the capital of the Chechnya republic, a Russian region controlled by Vladimir Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov which regularly sends troops to fight in the war against Ukraine.