Black Boxes Recovered from Downed Azerbaijani Jet Amid Rising Questions Over Russian Role

Authorities have recovered the second black box from Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243, which crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Christmas Day, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.

Early indications from a U.S. official suggest the plane may have been mistakenly downed by a Russian anti-aircraft system, potentially due to poorly trained operators amid heightened tensions with Ukraine.

The flight, en route from Baku to Grozny, was diverted due to heavy fog, with Russian dispatchers reporting control system failures and an oxygen tank explosion before the crash.

GPS jamming near Grozny, visible shrapnel-like damage on the aircraft, and independent analyses have fueled theories of a Russian air-defense strike, though Russian and Azerbaijani officials attribute the crash to bird strikes.

A joint commission involving Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia, along with aircraft manufacturer Embraer, is investigating, while Kazakh officials urge against speculation until all evidence, including data from the black boxes, is analyzed.