1995 Airstan incident
Encyclopedia
The Airstan incident was a 1995 international incident involving Russia
and the Taliban of Afghanistan. In August 1995, Taliban-controlled planes hijacked a Russian Ilyushin Il-76
plane with seven Russian nationals on board to land not at their Kabul
destination but at Taliban-occupied Kandahar
. The men were held prisoner for one year before being able to overpower their captors. After restarting their plane they were able to fly to freedom.
, forcing other Afghan groups to abandon territory. In August 1995 the Russian crew of the Ilyushin Il-76 was working for Tatarstan
-based Airstan which was in turn leasing their plane to Avia, a Russian company that was based in Sharjah
, United Arab Emirates
. On board the plane were Russian nationals: Vladimir Sharpatov
(commander), Gazinur Khairullin (second pilot), Alexander Zdor (navigator), Askhad Abbyazov, Yuri Vshivtsev, Sergei Butuzov and Viktor Ryazanov. They were transporting 30 tons of material from Albania to the besieged Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani
.
MiG-21
aircraft forced the Russian aircraft to land at Kandahar. Negotiations between the Russian government and the Taliban to free the men had stalled for over a year. Efforts by American senator Hank Brown
to mediate between the two parties broke down over a prisoner exchange. The Taliban stated that they would free the airmen if the Russians released Afghans held by the Russian government. However the Russians denied holding any Afghan citizens. Brown was able to get the Taliban to agree that the Russian crew should be allowed to maintain their aircraft. This request paved the way for their escape.
telephoned the crewmen to congratulate them as they flew to Russia on a Russian government aircraft.
TD (RA-76842) is still in service under flag of Aviacon Zitotrans
company.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the Taliban of Afghanistan. In August 1995, Taliban-controlled planes hijacked a Russian Ilyushin Il-76
Ilyushin Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
plane with seven Russian nationals on board to land not at their Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
destination but at Taliban-occupied Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
. The men were held prisoner for one year before being able to overpower their captors. After restarting their plane they were able to fly to freedom.
Background
In 1995, Afghanistan was in a state of civil war. In late 1994 the Taliban movement sprung out of Kandahar and by early 1995 had taken control of most of the country south of KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, forcing other Afghan groups to abandon territory. In August 1995 the Russian crew of the Ilyushin Il-76 was working for Tatarstan
Tatarstan
The Republic of Tatarstan is a federal subject of Russia located in the Volga Federal District. Its capital is the city of Kazan, which is one of Russia's largest and most prosperous cities. The republic borders with Kirov, Ulyanovsk, Samara, and Orenburg Oblasts, and with the Mari El, Udmurt,...
-based Airstan which was in turn leasing their plane to Avia, a Russian company that was based in Sharjah
Sharjah (city)
Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. On board the plane were Russian nationals: Vladimir Sharpatov
Vladimir Sharpatov
Vladimir Ilyich Sharpatov — airplane pilot, Hero of the Russian Federation . An Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane under his command made a forced landing at the airfield near Kandahar, Afghanistan. On August 1996 crew successfully escaped from captivity on that plane...
(commander), Gazinur Khairullin (second pilot), Alexander Zdor (navigator), Askhad Abbyazov, Yuri Vshivtsev, Sergei Butuzov and Viktor Ryazanov. They were transporting 30 tons of material from Albania to the besieged Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani
Burhanuddin Rabbani
Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani was President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996. After the Taliban government was toppled during Operation Enduring Freedom, Rabbani returned to Kabul and served as a temporary President from November to December 20, 2001, when Hamid Karzai was...
.
Capture and captivity
On August 3 a Taliban Air ForceMilitary of the Taliban
-Strength:The Taliban Army possessed several tanks.The Afghan Air Force under the Taliban maintained five supersonic MIG-21MFs and 10 Sukhoi-22 fighter-bombers. They also held six Mil Mi-8 helicopters, five Mi-35s, five L-39Cs, six An-12s, 25 An-26s, a dozen An-24/32s, a IL-18, and a Yakovlev.Their...
MiG-21
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
aircraft forced the Russian aircraft to land at Kandahar. Negotiations between the Russian government and the Taliban to free the men had stalled for over a year. Efforts by American senator Hank Brown
Hank Brown
George Hanks "Hank" Brown is a former Republican politician and U.S. Senator from Colorado who served as president of the University of Colorado system from April 2005 - January 2008.-Education:...
to mediate between the two parties broke down over a prisoner exchange. The Taliban stated that they would free the airmen if the Russians released Afghans held by the Russian government. However the Russians denied holding any Afghan citizens. Brown was able to get the Taliban to agree that the Russian crew should be allowed to maintain their aircraft. This request paved the way for their escape.
Escape
The Russians had been planning their escape for over a year. After Hank Brown secured visits to their aircraft for the whole crew they secretly not only did routine maintenance but prepared it for flight. On each trip the crew would be guarded by six Taliban guards but on August 16, 1996, half of the guards left the crew for afternoon prayers. Seizing the opportunity, the Russians overpowered the remaining guards and the pilot was able to jump start one engine with a battery. With one engine running, the remaining three could be started. The aircraft, with all seven of the crew aboard, quickly taxied down the runway. The Taliban tried to block the runway with a fire truck but the aircraft was able to take to the air thus avoiding the obstacle. The escapees were able to quickly exit Taliban controlled airspace and charted a course to the U.A.E. The crew's escape was greeted with excitement and relief by the Russians and Russian President Boris YeltsinBoris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
telephoned the crewmen to congratulate them as they flew to Russia on a Russian government aircraft.
In popular media
- In 2001 the men released a book about their ordeal called, Escape from Kandahar.
- Kandahar - A Russian movie, by director Andrei Kavun, about the Russians and their escape.
Current plane status
As of 2010 Ilyushin Il-76Ilyushin Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
TD (RA-76842) is still in service under flag of Aviacon Zitotrans
Aviacon Zitotrans
JSC "Aviacon Zitotrans" is an airline based in Yekaterinburg, Russia. It was established and started operations in June 1995 and operates charter cargo flights worldwide including Canada where it operates on behalf of the Canadian Military. It has 250 employees and its main base is Koltsovo...
company.