Dmitri Paladiciuk

Dmitri Paladiciuk is a Russian officer who reportedly served as the commander of an air defense unit. He gained notoriety after alleged leaked audio recordings and written statements attributed to him revealed that he received orders to shoot down an aircraft, which he later identified as a civilian plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines. This incident occurred in December 2024 and resulted in the tragic crash of the aircraft in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Paladiciuk's claims highlight significant issues within the Russian air defense system and have escalated tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia, as the Azerbaijani government accuses Russia of attempting to cover up the incident.