Khoklov and his pals didn’t trust the DRAAF’s native pilots. In 1985 the Afghans had mutinied and torched twenty of their best MiG fighters on the ground at Shindand Air Base. Since that incident, most DRAAF missions had been flown by Russian pilots, "unofficially." Pakistani border violations, civilian bombings, a little gas work ... the sort of mission where DRAAF cover came in handy.