Two Russian Knights pilots killed in Su-30SM crash

Two elite pilots from the Russian Knights aerobatic team, Colonel Oleg Erofeev and Major Vladimir Kochetov, have died following a Su-30SM fighter jet crash during a training flight.

Colonel Erofeev, a highly experienced pilot-sniper and deputy head of the Aviation Equipment Display Center, had accumulated approximately 3,300 flight hours and had been a member of the team since 2003. Major Kochetov served as a senior pilot and flight safety inspector, with 1,500 flight hours and membership in the group since 2014.

Reports regarding the exact timing of the accident vary, with some sources citing October 21 and others stating October 22. There has been no official confirmation regarding the specific cause of the crash or the exact location of the incident.