Vladimir Alexandrovich Kovalev

**Vladimir Alexandrovich Kovalev** (Владимир Александрович Ковалев) (March 30th, 1950 - December 21st, 1987) was a major in the Soviet Air Force.

## Biography

Vladimir Alexandrovich Kovalev was born on March 30th, 1950 in the city of Stavropol, Russia. The son of Alexander Vasilievich Kovalev and Anna Vladimirovna Kovalev. His father, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, worked as an electrician at Krasny Metallist experimental mechanical plant, while his mother worked as a primary school teacher at secondary railway school No. 64, which Vladimir Aleksandrovich graduated in 1967 with a silver medal. Since childhood, Kovalev engaged in aircraft modeling, swimming, and later became interested in mountain tourism. Since 1964 he a member of the Komsomol.

Around 1967-1968 Kovalev studied at Stavropol training aviation center DOSAAF in the parachute and flight departments; he jumped with a parachute, and flew sports planes. For two years of training, he made 341 flights (73 hours of flight time).

On August 15, 1968, the Stavropol city military commissariat was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet army. In the same year, Vladimir Aleksandrovich was enrolled in the number of cadets of the Balashov Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots (now the Balashov Aviation Training Center (785th UAC) - the 4th aviation department of the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute) in Balashov, Saratov Region, from which he graduated with a degree in command military transport aviation” in November 1972; in the extract from the transcript to the diploma in all subjects, “excellent” was affixed.

In the attestation for the assignment of the first officer rank, dated October 27, 1972, pilot-instructor senior lieutenant Kulikov wrote about cadet Kovalev: “... has the 2nd sports category in parachuting and aircraft sports ... At the school he flew on L-29, Il -14 and An-26 and has a flight time of 225 hours 09 minutes ... He performs flight tasks perfectly. He loves to fly, flies with great desire. He learns new elements of technical piloting perfectly and firmly fixes him in solo flights ... In flight he is initiative, keeps himself free, maintains good discretion on the ground and in the air. Competently approaches the implementation of the elements of piloting technique, notices errors in a timely manner, correctly analyzes and corrects them. In a complicated environment, he acts calmly, makes competent decisions, manages the crew clearly ... He is sociable by nature, exceptionally hardworking, among comrades and commanders enjoys ... authority. In dealing with comrades and elders, he is polite, modest, tactful, reacts correctly to comments. Persistent in achieving the goal."

By the decision of the state examination commission of October 26, 1972, Kovalev was qualified as a military pilot-engineer; On November 1, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

From December 11, 1972 to September 10, 1973 - pilot of the An-2 aircraft of the 115th separate military transport aviation squadron of the 105th Guards Airborne Division of the Turkestan Military District (Fergana).

In September 1973, Lieutenant Kovalev was transferred to the city of Klin, Moscow Military District (MVO), as an assistant commander of the ship on the An-26 aircraft. November 5, 1974 Kovalev was awarded the rank of senior lieutenant. In accordance with the directive of the General Staff of February 13, 1975, the 2nd transport link, in which Vladimir Aleksandrovich served, was renamed the 69th separate transport aviation detachment of the Airborne Forces of the Moscow Military District. In 1976 he joined the ranks of the CPSU.

From March 1978 to January 20, 1982, Kovalev was the commander of the aviation unit of the 58th separate military transport aviation squadron stationed in Ryazan. On August 22, 1978, he was promoted to the rank of captain. In January 1982, he was seconded to the Air Force High Command.

From April 26, 1982 to February 17, 1984 - assistant commander of the Tu-124 aircraft of the mixed aviation detachment at the Ryazan 43rd Center for combat use and retraining of flight personnel. On April 29, 1982, Captain Kovalev was awarded the class qualification "First Class Military Pilot". On February 17, 1984, he was appointed deputy commander of the 124th separate aviation squadron of the 73rd heavy bomber aviation division of the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command, stationed in the Seryshevo-2 garrison of the Amur Region (Far Eastern Military District). On August 17, 1984, he was promoted to the rank of major. On August 24, 1987, Major Kovalev left the unit and from October 12, 1987 served as deputy commander of the An-26 squadron,

From the award list: “In the Republic of Afghanistan since September 3, 1987, I took part in three operations: in the area of ​​the settlement. Kalasur, "Blockade" and "Magistral". He flew on An-26RT, An-26M aircraft. Military pilot 1st class. Total flight time 5200 hours. In the Republic of Afghanistan, he made 180 sorties with a flight time of 356 hours, including 96 sorties for relaying for two-way radio communication between the Army headquarters and the operational group of the ground forces in order to ensure the safety of the movement of automobile convoys with ammunition and food.

Temporarily acted as a squadron commander on the An-26RT, M, An-30, led the unit competently and confidently. Enjoyed well-deserved authority and love of subordinates. Trained personnel at a high methodological level. He made a great contribution to strengthening military discipline among the personnel, increased the combat readiness of the squadron ... He loved to fly. He approached each flight creatively. In a difficult combat situation, he acted cold-bloodedly, boldly and decisively. Repeatedly performed aerial photography of combat areas. Transported 156 tons of various cargo and ammunition, 367 personnel, 285 wounded and sick.

On October 28, 1987, in the area of ​​​​the Kunduz airfield, an An-26RT aircraft was fired upon by MANPADS [portable anti-aircraft missile systems] of the rebels. Major Kovalev V.A. detected three Stinger missile launches. Skillfully applied anti-missile maneuver and firing of heat traps. He took the plane out of the firing zone, thereby saving the lives of crew members, passengers and expensive equipment.

He particularly distinguished himself on December 21, 1987. The task was to transport the commanding staff, headed by the Air Force Commander of the 40th Army, from the Kabul airfield to the Bagram airfield, followed by a flight to the Jalalabad airfield to transport the wounded to the Kabul airfield. After transporting the wounded, return to the Bagram airfield for the leadership of the Air Force of the Army.

In a difficult combat situation, with the constant influence of enemy air defense, the An-26RT aircraft, piloted by the commander of the ship, Major Kovalev V.A. successfully landed at Bagram airfield. He landed the leadership of the Air Force of the Army and took off to perform subsequent tasks.

When climbing, on the third turn, the MANPADS of the rebels were hit, which fired two Stinger missiles at the plane in a row. The first rocket hit a heat trap, and the second one hit the turbine of the left engine.

The crew at an altitude of 1,200 meters tried to save the car. Showing courage and heroism, the commander of the ship gave the command to fly down the affected left engine, apply the fire extinguishing system, shut off the fuel fire valve to the engine, and after that, making sure that the work done did not save the aircraft, he ordered the crew to leave it, while he himself remained at the helm until the crew members leave the aircraft, keeping the aircraft in the flight plane.

There was a settlement under the plane. Holding the car, he managed to direct it to a safe place from residential buildings, thereby saving the life of the Afghan population.

Having catapulted last at low altitude, Major Kovalev died as a result of hitting the ground due to non-opening of the parachute. All other crew members - co-pilot Lieutenant Yu. Devyatka, navigator Lieutenant S. Yasinsky, flight engineer senior lieutenant V. Andryushishin, radio operator warrant officer V. Zhilovsky and flight engineer warrant officer G. Petrov - escaped; only the radio operator suffered a spinal injury upon landing and ended up in the hospital.

V.A. Kovalev was buried at the Novograzhdansky cemetery in Ryazan. His wife Svetlana Viktorovna, daughters Yana and Irina live in Ryazan.

By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR No. 9315 dated July 29, 1988, "for the successful completion of the task of providing international assistance to the Republic of Afghanistan and the courage and heroism shown at the same time," Major Kovalev Vladimir Aleksandrovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously).

He was awarded the Order of Lenin, medals "60 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", "For irreproachable service in the Armed Forces" of the 2nd and 3rd degree.

Transportny Lane in Stavropol, where the Kovalev family lived, was renamed in honor of the Hero of the Soviet Union V.A. Kovalev.

In 1989, an exposition was opened at the Museum of the History of the Youth Movement (Ryazan), which tells about the Ryazanians who participated in the war in Afghanistan. At the stand dedicated to the Hero of the Soviet Union V.A. Kovalev, his personal belongings are presented: a tablet, a flight helmet, photographs are placed.

In 1989, relatives of V.A. Kovalev in the Stavropol State United Museum of Local Lore. G.K. The Hero’s personal belongings were transferred to the right for permanent storage: a flight file, a flight book, a workbook, a field uniform, a field bag, a certificate of secondary education (No. a military pilot's classification certificate; greetings from the President of the Republic of Afghanistan addressed to the family of Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Alexandrovich Kovalev.

The name of the Hero of the Soviet Union V.A. Kovalev is carved on the monument to Ryazan soldiers who died in local wars, installed in 2000 on the square named after. Army General V.F. Margelov in Ryazan.

In August 2012, to the 100th anniversary of the Russian Air Force in the Stavropol State Historical, Cultural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve named after. G.N. Prozritelev and G.K. Right, the opening of the exhibition "Wings of the Motherland" took place. In the gallery of pilots - Heroes of the Soviet Union, one of the stands is dedicated to Major V.A. Kovalev.

In 2012, a postcard with a portrait of Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Alexandrovich Kovalev was published in the series “Famous Ryazanians”.

In 1972 he graduated from the Balashov Higher Military Aviation School, and by distribution he ended up in the Amur Region. In the 80s he served at the airbase in Seryshevo. In September 1987, Major Kovalev was sent to Afghanistan, where he was the commander of a squadron of military transport aircraft. During those three and a half months that he managed to serve in Afghanistan, Vladimir Alexandrovich made 180 sorties, flying 356 hours in the Afghan sky. On his AN-26RT, the major transported 367 people, 285 wounded, 185 tons of cargo. On December 21, 1987, the Kovalev crew was tasked with delivering a group of major Soviet military leaders to Bagram. But the major flew back lightly - intelligence intercepted a radio telegram from Pakistan instructing the dushmans to destroy the Soviet transport at all costs. Therefore, the generals were left in Bagram. As soon as Kovalev took off, the spirits began to fire at him from the Stingers. Shooting off special thermal traps and laying insane anti-missile turns, the major managed to get away from three. But the fourth rocket hit the left engine at an altitude of 1200 meters. Vladimir Alexandrovich managed to order the flight engineer and the navigator to jump out. Both were saved. And the commander himself, to the last, took the burning plane away from the densely populated city blocks. He left the board only when he was convinced that the falling car would not take anyone's life. But the height was too low for the parachute to open normally... For this feat, on July 28, 1988, Major Kovalev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Posthumously… But the height was too low for the parachute to open normally .

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## Death

On December 21, 1987, the Kovalev crew was tasked with delivering a group of major Soviet military leaders to Bagram. But the major flew back lightly - intelligence intercepted a radio telegram from Pakistan instructing the dushmans to destroy the Soviet transport at all costs. Therefore, the generals were left in Bagram. As soon as Kovalev took off, the spirits began to fire at him from the Stingers. Shooting off special thermal traps and laying insane anti-missile turns, the major managed to get away from three. But the fourth rocket hit the left engine at an altitude of 1200 meters. Vladimir Alexandrovich managed to order the flight engineer and the navigator to jump out. Both were saved. And the commander himself, to the last, took the burning plane away from the densely populated city blocks. He left the board only when he was convinced that the falling car would not take anyone's life. But the height was too low for the parachute to open normally

July 29, 1988 "for the successful completion of the task of providing international assistance to the Republic of Afghanistan and the courage and heroism shown at the same time," Major Kovalev Vladimir Alexandrovich was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
V.A. Kovalev is buried at the Novograzhdansky cemetery in Ryazan