CNN —Azerbaijan Airlines says the jet that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day experienced “physical and technical external interference,” according to an early investigation, as questions swirled about Russia’s possible involvement in the disaster. People from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were among those on board, according to preliminary data from Kazakhstan’s transport ministry. Reuters also reported that the plane was downed by a Russian air defense system, citing multiple unnamed sources in Azerbaijan with knowledge of the investigation. Its Federal Air Transport Agency also previously said the plane crashed after colliding with birds. As investigations continue, Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to seven cities in Russia for safety reasons, it said.

---

Persons: ” Dmitry Yadrov, Yadrov, “, Andrii Sybiha, Moscow “, ” Sybiha, ” Andriy Kovalenko, Kovalenko, Justin Crump, ” Crump, ”, AZERTAC Organizations: CNN — Azerbaijan Airlines, Christmas, CNN, Reuters, J2, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Ukraine’s Center, National Security and Defense, of, BBC Radio, Federal Air Transport Agency, Azerbaijan Airlines Locations: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Russian, Grozny, Chechnya, Ukrainian, Vladikavkaz, ”, ​, Moscow, of Ukraine, Baku