An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Passengers wearing oxygen masks were seen before impact, with visible wing damage. Initially attributed to a bird strike, theories suggest Russian air defenses mistook it for a Ukrainian drone. Azerbaijan launched a criminal investigation, working with Kazakh authorities. A black box was recovered to uncover crash causes. Videos showing fuselage holes fueled speculation of a missile strike. Investigations remain ongoing, with no definitive conclusions yet. n18oc_crux