GLOBAL suspicions are continuing to grow that Vladimir Putin may have played a role in the doomed DHL plane disaster.
Investigators are still searching for the crucial black box from the Boeing jet after it crash landed in Lithuania as they hope the crucial data could provide answers.
XThe moment the plane erupts into a fireball in Lithuania[/caption]
APThe burnt-out wreckage of the DHL jet with the black box still missing[/caption]
One person tragically died in the fireball explosion one other still missing after the jet clipped a residential block.
Officials are still desperately investigating the tragedy with German chancellor Olaf Scholz now saying he is refusing to rule out Russian involvement.
Concerns over potential Russian interference across the world spiralled earlier this month when Western spy chiefs accused Putin’s agents of planting firebombs on cargo planes.
The dress rehearsal for mid-air mayhem comes amid several other incidents in Canada, Germany and even the UK in the last 12 months.
Investigators are yet to announce what caused the fatal crash as they continue to scour the wreckage for flight recorders.
The flight logs are believed to be trapped within the burnt-out carcass of the Boeing 737 inside a woodland alongside the black box, says local police chief Arunas Paulauskas.
There is also yet to be any further indication on if the disaster may have been terror related yet.
But reportedly no initial data points towards an explosion on board.
Many still fear that sabotage may have played a role in the cargo planes doomed descent in Vilnius.
German officials have been at the centre of the crash since it took place due to the jet leaving from Leipzig.
Chancellor Scholz warned against anyone ignoring potential culprits until all the facts have presented themselves.
When asked about international involvement by German TV program heute journal, he said: “We are looking at it closely, we cannot say at the moment.”
“It could be so. That is why it must be investigated closely.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also spoke about a potential hybrid attack which led to the plane’s demise.
She urged Lithuanian officials to “seriously” look into whether the crash was an accident or not.
Baerbock added that it shows once again how “volatile” things have become in the middle of Europe, as a potential growing conflict looms against Putin.
Darius Jauniškis, the chief of Lithuania’s Intelligence, has already vowed that terrorism won’t be ruled out as they investigate further.
He said: “The State Security Department, together with the Department of Operational Services, have warned that these things are possible in the future. We see Russia becoming more aggressive.”
Lithuanian army chief Raimundas Vaikšnoras also warned yesterday “our enemy doesn’t sleep” amid the Russian sabotage claims.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he is refusing to rule out Russian involvementHenning Kaiser/Pool Photo via AP
XHorrific CCTV footage caught the moment the DHL cargo plane clipped a residential block before erupting into flames[/caption]
XThe giant blast caused smoke to billow through the morning sky as fires burnt through the capital[/caption]
He said the military has “a lot of knowledge” about the crash – but will not comment until investigations are complete.
It comes as terrifying CCTV footage captured the DHL plane plummeting towards the ground before erupting into a fireball.
The 31-year-old Boeing 737-400 clipped a two storey residential building in Lithuania at around 5:30am before crashing into a woodland.
Officials confirmed that the pilot died in the fireball crash with two crew members being injured and another missing.
Video shows the final few seconds of the aircraft’s horror fall as it hurtles through the morning sky as cars drive past on a nearby road.
The cargo plane can be seen quickly turning on its side before smashing into the towering block.
Sparks are instantly visible as moments later a giant blast erupts just miles out from Vilnius Airport where the plane was due to land.
The chilling final audio of the pilots involved in the tragic crash has also now been revealed with no alarm being raised at any point during the attempted landing.
The pilot can be heard saying as he descended: “Could you please confirm expecting ILS, I am not expecting ILS.”
An ILS – Instrument Landing System – helps pilots land safely in low visibility.
It was then given clearance to land before contact with controllers stopped as it vanished off radar and crashed.
DHL-linked explosions across Europe
SECURITY officials fear Russia could be behind parcel explosions at depots in Europe as part of a plot to trigger explosions on cargo flights to the US.
Western governments believe Moscow could be behind a series of fires and acts of sabotage in Europe aimed at destabilising allies of Ukraine.
On July 22, a suspect package caught fire at a DHL depot in Minworth, Birmingham.
Also in July, fires broke out in a container due to be loaded onto a DHL cargo plane in the German city of Leipzig.
Meanwhile, a fire at a transport hub near Jablonow, near Warsaw, Poland took almost two hours to put out.
Polish police arrested four people – and claimed the suspected Russian arson attacks could have been a test run for future attacks on the US.
It is feared the fears were part of an orchestrated campaign organised by Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.
Moscow, which denies being behind acts of sabotage is suspected to have been behind other attacks on warehouses and railway networks in EU member states this year – including in Sweden and in the Czech Republic.
Western nations including the UK, Britain, and the US, have repeatedly accused Russia of trying to sabotage nations providing military and financial aid to Ukraine.
XCCTV captured the plane as it came in to land before plummeting out of control[/caption]
ReutersEmergency crews at the scene of the crash[/caption]
ReutersThe plane crash comes amid serious fears over global Russian sabotage led by Vladimir Putin[/caption]