It Has Been Reported That Two Elite Pilots From The Occupying Forces, Members Of The "Russian Knights" Group, Were Killed
6- 25.10.2026, 10:49
- 2,544
The group is constantly being deployed on combat missions against Ukraine.
During a training flight on October 22, two pilots from the “Russian Knights” aerobatic team—Colonel Oleg Erofeev and Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Kochetov—were killed. This was reported by the Russian publication amic.ru.
Meanwhile, as Militarnyi notes, On October 21, two plane crashes involving Su-30SM fighters occurred in Russia at the same time; in one of them, both pilots were killed, while in the other, they managed to eject. Nothing is known about the incident allegedly occurring on the 22nd. However, it cannot be ruled out that this refers to an incident that was not previously reported, or that the Russian media simply got the date wrong.
The experienced pilots from the unit—whose members are regularly deployed on combat missions—will be buried on October 27 in Mytishchi, near Moscow.
Colonel Oleg Erofeev, a 53-year-old military sniper pilot, Honored Military Pilot, and deputy chief of the Aviation Technology Demonstration Center, had flown the Yak-52, L-39, MiG-29, Su-27, Su-30SM, and Su-35S. His total flight time amounts to 3,300 hours. He had been a member of the aerobatic team’s core roster since 2003.
First-Class Military Pilot and Senior Flight Safety Inspector, 40-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Kochetov, has mastered the L-39, MiG-29, Su-27, Su-30SM, and Su-35S. His total flight time on these aircraft is 1,500 hours. He has been a member of the aerobatic team’s core lineup since 2014.
“Russian Knights”
The “Russian Knights” aerobatic team was formed in April 1991 based on the 1st Squadron of the 237th Guards Proskurov Aviation Technology Demonstration Center named after I. M. Kozhedub Aviation Technology Demonstration Center at the Kubinka airfield in the Moscow Region. The team’s fleet consists primarily of Su-35S fighter jets. In peacetime, the team was called upon to perform demonstration flights during ceremonial events, but since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the pilots have been constantly engaged in combat missions.
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