An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan's capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny when it crashed, killing 38 people onboard.

We will never forget the beloved people we lost in the crash of the Embraer 190 aircraft,” said Azerbaijan Airlines in a statement posted online on Boxing Day. The pro-government AnewZ news station cited Azerbaijan officials as saying shrapnel from a Russian missile was responsible.

"No one claims that it was done on purpose," an Azerbaijan official told Reuters. They added their government "expects the Russian side to confess."

National flags were lowered across Azerbaijan, traffic across the country stopped at noon, and signals were sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide moment of silence.

The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 flight left Baku, Azerbaijan, on Christmas to Grozny, Russia. Instead, the plane crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan.

A passenger plane flying from Azerbaijan to Russia with 67 people on board crashed in Kazakhstan Wednesday, authorities said.

There are early indications that a Russian anti-aircraft system may have struck the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan, a U.S. official told ABC News.

At least 38 people were killed in an Azerbaijan Airlines crash that was likely caused by Russian antiaircraft fire, according to Ukraine and aviation experts. Photo: Azamat Sarsenbayev/Reuters

A U.S. official tells NBC News there are early indications that the passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan may have been hit by a Russian anti-aircraft system. The official said if it turns out to be the case,