The cause of the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, is still unknown. The Kremlin has so far been tight-lipped, prompting questions over its messaging.

The leadership in Moscow on Friday refused to comment on claims that a Russian missile had caused Wednesday's crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet in Kazakhstan with the loss of 38 lives. Moscow was aware of statements made in Azerbaijan's capital Baku,

An Azerbaijani minister suggested Friday that an airliner that crashed this week was hit by a weapon, citing expert analysis and survivor testimony indicating that the plane was struck from the outside.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US “have seen some early indications" that the plane was "brought down by Russian air defense systems."

Following the crash of a passenger plane in Kazakhstan, Moscow is cautioning against speculation that the aircraft may have been shot down, killing 38 people of the 67 people on board. "An investigation is currently under way;

Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized for the deadly Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crash on Christmas but did not take responsibility for causing it as an investigation continues into the matter.

The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 plane was flying from Baku to Grozny on Christmas Day when it diverted across the Caspian Sea and crash-landed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.