Failed escape to Sweden: the first known case of storming a hijacked plane on USSR territory
On November 2, 1973, an unimaginable incident at that time occurred in the USSR - a Yak-40 passenger plane flying from Moscow to Bryansk was hijacked by terrorists.
It is worth noting that the criminals turned out to be four young people: 21-year-old Viktor Romanov, 17-year-old Vladimir Zhalnin and his peer Pyotr Bondarev, as well as Sasha Nikiforov, who was only 16 years old.
The leader and “ideological inspirer” of the gang was Romanov, who failed upon entering MGIMO, served in the army and dreamed of a “beautiful life.”
Typically, the choice in favor of hijacking the plane was made after the teenagers read an article in a newspaper about an attempt to hijack a plane in Prague, and the purpose of the crime was to escape from the USSR abroad.
Terrorists armed with three sawn-off shotguns hijacked the plane as it approached Bryansk. While trying to resist the criminals, flight mechanic Nikolai Nikitin was wounded.
The pilots were ordered to return back to Moscow and inform the dispatcher of the capital's airport about the hijacking of the plane. Later, the criminals voiced their demands: $3 million in cash and an unhindered flight to Sweden.
However, before approaching Moscow, conditions changed. The young people demanded that the plane's tanks be filled with fuel and half the amount in exchange for 15 passengers on the flight out of 30. Then, in Leningrad, they were supposed to be refueled and the second half of the amount was paid back. The remaining passengers were to be released there.
Naturally, law enforcement officers were not going to let the terrorists go to Sweden. During the simulation of refueling the plane and transferring money, the assault began. Tear gas grenades were thrown into the aircraft cabin. At the same time, one of them set the upholstery of the seats on fire, which caused panic among passengers and criminals.
Fortunately, as a result of the successful assault, none of the hostages were injured.
Regarding the terrorists, 16-year-old Nikiforov was wounded and died in the hospital. Romanov shot himself. Zhalnin and Bondarev were taken safe and sound when they tried to leave the burning plane along with the passengers.
The 1973 incident was the first known case of an assault on a hijacked aircraft on Soviet territory.
It is worth adding that airports at that time were very different from modern ones. There were no metal detectors or X-ray machines. The decency of passengers was assessed solely by appearance.
Thus, it was not difficult for failed terrorists to carry weapon on board the Yak-40.
Information