Senior Lieutenant Nikita Kiryanov was seen off in Barnaul. The young officer was a graduate of the Voronezh Air Force Academy named after Zhukovsky and Gagarin. He was killed by Ukrainian militants during the seizure of a Mi-8AMTSh helicopter hijacked by defector Maxim Kuzminov..
Recall, what 9 August 2023 Goda Kuzminov, guided by the instructions of Ukrainian intelligence officers, hijacked a helicopter from Kursk to the Kharkov region. Two crew members, including 28-year-old flight mechanic Nikita Kiryanov, resisted Ukrainian militants and were killed by them. In this way, they actually accomplished a feat, refusing to surrender to the enemy even on pain of death.
Nikita Kiryanov wanted to become a pilot, but did not pass due to health reasons and eventually became an on-board mechanic. He flew with Kuzminov not so long ago, since he was temporarily assigned to the crew of this helicopter. Maxim Kuzminov, defected to the enemy, is now in Ukraine.
Nikita Kiryanov was buried in a cemetery in the village of Gonba. Relatives were present at the event, loved ones, young officer's colleagues. He is survived by his parents and wife. Two officers of the Russian military aviation - and such different destinies, conditioned by completely different moral values.
