January 19, 2025

A Shortened Flight, a Shortened Sentence


A Shortened Flight, a Shortened Sentence
Unfriendly fire. Igor Dvurekov, Wikimedia Commons

A Russian air defense officer accused of accidentally shooting down a friendly helicopter will serve more than two years in a penal colony for his actions.

According to independent media outlet CurrentTime.TV, a military court found the officer, Igor Pashkov, guilty of negligence on January 15. Pashkov's actions resulted in the death of three on board the helicopter.

Reportedly, Pashkov was on duty in Russia-occupied Crimea, serving in the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and defending the area from drone attacks. At 6;30 a.m. of October 18, 2023, Pashkov was alerted to a low- and slow-flying aircraft in his sector. As he believed there were no friendly aircraft in the area, he ordered a missile launch. 

The aircraft turned out to be a Russian Mi-8M helicopter, a transport and utility aircraft also known as the Mi-17.

The charges typically hold a sentence of seven years, but certain circumstances, such as Pashkov's disabled son, remorse for his actions, and his combat experience shortened the sentence to two years and ten months.

It could be that the incident was caused by poor communication and military technology, issues that have plagued Russia since it began its invasion of Ukraine.

You Might Also Like

Snowing on Your Parade
  • May 12, 2024

Snowing on Your Parade

A few things were notably absent (and present) from this year's Victory Day parade.
Stalin Returns to Volgograd
  • February 05, 2023

Stalin Returns to Volgograd

A new bust of Stalin has been erected in Volgograd, raising questions about the identity of the city.
The Not-too-Mighty Russian Armed Forces
  • July 24, 2022

The Not-too-Mighty Russian Armed Forces

It's been four months, and Ukraine is still standing. The front lines have hardly moved in ten weeks. Is this the Russian army everyone so feared?
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955