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Vladimir SharpartovRussian pilot, Hero of the Russian Federation.
Date of Birth: 21.03.1940
Country:  Russia |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Vladimir Ilyich Sharpat (born March 21, 1940) is a Russian pilot and Hero of the Russian Federation. Born in Krasnogorskoye, Mari El, to a chauffeur father, Sharpat aspired to become a pilot from a young age.
After failing his admission to flight school, Sharpat followed his father's footsteps and became a driver. However, he enrolled in the evening program of the Kazan Aviation Institute and later transferred to the Krasnokutsk Civil Aviation Flight School, graduating in 1965.
Aviation Career
Sharpat's aviation career began in 1965 in Tyumen, where he still resides. From 1971 to 1976, he studied at the Civil Aviation Academy (now the Civil Aviation University), specializing as an engineer-pilot.
During his career, Sharpat flew countless missions, visiting over 65 countries. His flight to Afghanistan, which resulted in the capture of his crew, was not his only perilous mission. Prior to Afghanistan, he had flown cargo to Congo, Somalia, and Sierra Leone, where he was detained for two weeks in a near-miraculous escape.
Afghanistan Captivity and Escape
On August 3, 1995, Sharpat's IL-76 aircraft, owned by Tatarstan airline Aerostan, was transporting military supplies to Bagram, Afghanistan. As it approached Kandahar, a MiG-21 intercepted and forced it to land.
Sharpat and his six crew members were held captive for 378 days in a guarded house within a hotel. Despite efforts from Russian and foreign diplomats, their release was not secured, although their living conditions were marginally improved.
Despairing of rescue, the crew devised an escape plan. They convinced their captors of the need for regular maintenance on their costly aircraft. Neutralizing the guards, they escaped in their own plane, even though it had not been refueled. Two hours later, they were free.
Hero's Return and Legacy
On August 22, 1996, President Yeltsin awarded Sharpat and co-pilot Gazinur G. Khairullin the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. The rest of the crew, navigator Alexander V. Zdor, radio operator Yuri N. Vshivtsev, flight engineers Ashat M. Abbyazov, Sergei B. Butuzov, and Viktor P. Ryazanov, were awarded the Order of Courage.
Sharpat served as a consultant on the film "Kandahar," which depicted his experience in Afghanistan. He has emphasized that the reality of his ordeal was far more harrowing than its cinematic portrayal.
