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Matias RustPilot landing a plane on Red Square
Date of Birth: 01.06.1968
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Matthias Rust: The Pilot who Landed on Red Square
- The Flight to Moscow
- Landing on Red Square
- Controversial Theories and Aftermath
- Life After the Incident
Matthias Rust: The Pilot who Landed on Red Square
Early Life and FlightMatthias Rust was a German athlete and pilot, born on June 1, 1968. His father was a businessman who sold Cessna airplanes. At the age of 18, on May 27, 1987, Rust flew from Hamburg on a small Cessna 172B Skyhawk aircraft. He made a stopover in Malmi Airport in Helsinki for refueling, informing the airport's dispatcher that he was flying to Stockholm. However, Rust disappeared from Finnish airspace near Sipoo after losing contact with the Finnish dispatch service.
The Flight to Moscow
Contrary to expectations of a crash, Rust had actually crossed the Soviet border and headed towards Moscow. Although he was detected by the Soviet Air Defense Forces on multiple occasions, there were no instructions given to intercept his plane. Rust navigated by following the Leningrad-Moscow railway line and was tracked by air defense units from Hotilovo and Bezhetsk airfields, but they did not receive orders to shoot down the Cessna due to the manual coordination and the temporary shutdown of the Moscow Military District's air defense system for maintenance.
Landing on Red Square
Rust landed the plane on the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge and taxied to the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed. He exited the aircraft at 7:10 PM and began distributing autographs. Ten minutes later, he was arrested. Rust was charged with hooliganism, violation of aviation legislation, and illegal border crossing. During his trial, Rust claimed that his flight was a "call for peace." On September 4, he was sentenced to four years in prison.
Controversial Theories and Aftermath
Various theories emerged regarding Rust's flight, with some suggesting it was a carefully planned provocation by Western intelligence agencies. General Petr Deynekin, the former commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, stated that it was a meticulously planned operation carried out with the knowledge and consent of certain individuals in the Soviet leadership. Rust's flight and its aftermath led to significant changes within the Soviet armed forces, including the removal of several high-ranking officials.
Life After the Incident
Matthias Rust returned to Germany on August 3, 1988, following an amnesty decree signed by Andrei Gromyko, then Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Rust spent a total of 432 days in pretrial detention and prison. He continued to make headlines, facing legal troubles for incidents such as assaulting a nurse in 1989. Rust eventually settled in Germany, got married twice, and became involved in the poker industry. Today, the Cessna aircraft he flew is owned by a wealthy Japanese businessman and is stored in a hangar, anticipating its future appreciation in value.
