BAKU: Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, investigators suspect Russian air defenses mistakenly struck.
Flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny veered across the Caspian Sea, crashing after reported GPS jamming over Russian airspace.
Investigators link the crash to a Russian Pantsir-S missile, citing shrapnel damage and disrupted communications from electronic warfare systems.
Officials emphasize no intentional attack, but Azerbaijan expects Russia to acknowledge responsibility as preliminary investigations suggest missile involvement.
Kazakhstan authorities remain inconclusive on crash causes, while the U.S. and Canada demand transparency in investigations into the tragedy.
Passengers’ footage revealed oxygen masks deployed and chaos onboard, followed by 29 survivors escaping from the wreckage with injuries.
Russia recently downed 59 Ukrainian drones in southern regions, intensifying airspace conflicts, with civilian planes facing collateral risks.
Aviation experts cited shrapnel evidence and restricted airspace near the crash, raising concerns about accidental downing by Russian defenses.
ADS-B tracking data showed consistent GPS jamming over southwest Russia, likely from anti-drone measures employed against Ukrainian military operations.
Kazakhstan’s prosecutor and Canadian authorities urged transparent cooperation to determine how air defense mistakes led to the deadly accident.
