Rust in a Moscow courtroom

Mathias Rust (born 1968) is a German man known for his illegal landing near the Red Square in Moscow in 1987. As an amateur aviator, he flew from Finland to Moscow, eluding the Soviet air defenses and landing on Vasilevski Spusk next to the Red Square near the Kremlin in the capital of the former USSR. Picture of Mathias Rust from http://www. ... Picture of Mathias Rust from http://www. ... For other uses, see Red Square (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Aviator (disambiguation). ... The Moscow Kremlin (Russian: Московский Кремль) is a historic fortified complex at the very heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River (to the south), Saint Basils Cathedral (often mistaken as the Kremlin) and Red Square (to the east) and the Alexander Garden (to the west). ...

Flight profile

After leaving Uetersen on May 13 Rust refueled the rented Cessna 172B (D-ECJB) in the morning of May 28, 1987 at Helsinki-Malmi Airport. He told air traffic control that he was going to Stockholm, but right after his final communication with traffic control he turned his plane to the east. Traffic controllers tried to contact him as he was moving around the busy Helsinki-Moscow route, but Rust turned off all communications equipment aboard. Uetersen is a town in the district of Pinneberg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Cessna 172RG 1964 Cessna 172E 1965 Cessna F172G 1971 Cessna 172 The early Cessna 172 Skyhawks had no rear window and featured a square fin design, like this 1957 model 1977 Cessna 172XP 1977 Cessna 172M Cessna 172R Panel of C-GLFC The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat... is the 148th day of the year (149th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Helsinki-Malmi Airport (Finnish: Helsinki-Malmin lentoasema) (IATA: HEM, ICAO: EFHF) is an airport in the city of Helsinki, Finland, located in the district of Malmi, some 10 km north-east from the city centre. ... For the Canadian musical group, see Air Traffic Control (band). ... For other uses, see Stockholm (disambiguation). ...

Rust disappeared from the Finnish traffic control radar near Sipoo. Traffic control presumed an emergency, and a rescue effort was organized, including Finnish Border Guard patrol boat. They found an oil patch near the place where Rust disappeared from radars and performed underwater search but with no results. Rust was later charged about $100,000 for this effort. The origin of the oil patch remains unknown. Founded 1352 Province Southern Finland Region Eastern Uusimaa Sub-region Porvoo Area - Of which land - Rank 366. ... The Border Guard (Finnish: Rajavartiolaitos, Swedish: Gränsbevakningsväsendet) of Finland is the Finnish security authority responsible for the border security. ...

In the meantime, Rust crossed the Baltic coastline in Estonia and turned towards Moscow. At 14:29 he appeared on air defense radar and, after failure to answer to an IFF signal, was assigned combat number 8255. Three SAM divisions tracked him for some time, but failed to obtain permission to launch at him. All air defenses were brought to readiness and two interceptors were sent to investigate. At 14:48 near the city of Gdov one of the pilots observed a white sport plane "like Yak-12" and asked for permission to engage, but was denied. For other uses, see Baltic (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... A Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) is a radar device installed in air traffic control facilities to allow the precise identification of aircraft. ... Akash Missile Firing French Air Force Crotale battery Bendix Rim-8 Talos surface to air missile of the US Navy A surface-to-air missile (SAM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft. ... The MiG-25 is a Russian interceptor that was the mainstay of the Soviet air defence. ... Fifteenth-century church of Derzhavnaya Mother of God (destroyed during WWII, restored in the 1980s). ... The Yakovlev Yak-12 (Russian: Як-12, NATO reporting name: Creek) is a light multirole aircraft used by the Soviet Air Force and Soviet civilian aviation from 1947 onwards. ...

Soon after, fighters lost contact with Rust, and while they were directed back to him, he disappeared from radars near Staraya Russa. German magazine Bunte speculated that he might have landed there for a time, citing that he changed his clothes somewhere during his flight, and that he took too much time to fly to Moscow considering his plane's speed and weather conditions. Staraya Russa (Russian: ) is an old Russian town located 99 km south of Veliky Novgorod. ... Bunte is a German magazine. ...

Air defence reestablished contact with Rust's plane several times, but confusion followed all of these events. The PVO system had shortly before been divided into several districts, which simplified management but created additional overhead for tracking officers at the districts' borders. The local air regiment near Pskov was on maneuvers and due to inexperienced pilots' tendency to forget correct IFF designator settings, local control officers assigned all traffic in the area friendly status, including Rust. Voyska PVO (Russian: Войска ПВО, or PVO Strany until 1981) was the air defense branch of the Soviet military. ... Pskov (Russian: , ancient Russian spelling Пльсковъ (Plescow)) is an ancient city, located in the north-west of Russia about 20 km east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. ... IFF, Iff or iff can stand for: Interchange File Format - a computer file format introduced by Electronic Arts Identification, friend or foe - a radio based identification system utilizing transponders iff - the mathematics concept if and only if International Flavors and Fragrances - a company producing flavors and fragrances International Freedom Foundation...

Near Torzhok there was similar situation, as increased air traffic was created by a rescue effort for an air crash which happened the previous day. Rust on his slow prop plane was confused with one of the helicopters taking part in the rescue. Afterwards, he was spotted several more times, but given false friendly recognition twice; he was considered as a domestic training plane defying the regulations, and was issued least priority. General view of the town in the 1910s. ...

Several interesting events coincided with the final stretch of his route. The control system of the Central Air Defence District was unexpectedly turned down for unscheduled maintenance, and all flights around Sheremetyevo airport were forbidden for about twenty minutes — just for the time Rust was above it. The origins of these events are still unknown. Sheremetyevo International Airport (Russian: Шереме́тьево) (IATA: SVO, ICAO: UUEE), is an International airport which serves Moscow, Russia. ...

Around 7:00 p.m. Rust appeared above the Moscow center. He had initially intended to land in the Kremlin, but due to lack of proper landing space reverted to the Red Square. Heavy pedestrian traffic didn't allow him to land there either, so after circling about the square one more time, he finally was able to land on Vasilevsky Spusk — a less congested open space by St. Basil's Cathedral. After taxiing past the Cathedral he finally stopped about 100 meters from the square, where he was greeted by curious passersby. He was arrested soon afterwards. This article is about Russian citadels. ... For other uses, see Red Square (disambiguation). ... St Basils Cathedral The Intercession Cathedral (Pokrovsky Cathedral, better known as the Cathedral of St. ...

Aftermath

Rust's trial started in Moscow on September 2, 1987. He was sentenced to four years in a labour camp following light regime terms for hooliganism, disregard of Aviation laws and breaching of the Soviet border. After serving 432 days at the Lefortovo jail in Moscow, he was released on parole. He returned to West Germany on August 3, 1988 after former longtime foreign minister Andrei Gromyko, acting as president of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, signed the document that enabled Rust to regain his freedom. In legal parlance, a trial is an event in which parties to a dispute present information (in the form of evidence) in a formal setting, usually a court, before a judge, jury, or other designated finder of fact, in order to achieve a resolution to their dispute. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... A labor camp is a simplified detention facility where inmates are engaged in forced labor. ... Hooligan redirects here. ... Aviation law is the branch of law that concerns flight, air travel, and associated legal and business concerns. ... Lefortovo prison is a prison in Moscow, Russia, since 2005 in the command of the Ministry of Justice of Russia. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Andrei Gromyko Andrei Andreyevich Gromyko (Андре́й Андре́евич Громы́ко) (July 18 (July 5, Old Style), 1909 – July 2, 1989) was Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. ...

Later turbulent life

While doing his obligatory community service in a German hospital, Rust stabbed a female co-worker who rejected him. The injuries were life-threatening and he was sentenced to four years in prison for attempted murder and was released after having served fifteen months. This did severe damage to his public image.^{[citations needed]}

• April 1994: Mathias Rust returns to Russia and visits points of interest like the site where he landed in 1987.
• 1996: He gets engaged to a daughter of a rich Indian tea merchant and converts to Hinduism^[1]
• 2001: Mathias Rust is convicted for stealing a cashmere pullover. He is ordered to pay 10,000 Marks; the sentence is later reduced to 600 Marks.
• 2003 August: Mathias Rust launches an internet site promoting a "think tank" called Orion & Isis which endeavors to "work on issues which contain non-violent solutions to resolve conflicts between government, ethnic or religious institutions." Applicants need to be in possession of an administrative position with the connected powers of attorney or in possession of major influence from any other level. After not gaining much publicity, the site disappears.
• 2004 July: Mathias Rust is living in Berlin married to his second wife Athena.
• 2004: Convicted of fraud, has to pay € 1,500 for stolen goods

As of 2007, a wealthy Japanese businessman owns Rust's aircraft, and is keeping it in a hangar until its value appreciates.^{[citation needed]} 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A cutaway diagram of a hangar. ... Appreciation is a term used in accounting relating to the increase in value of an asset. ...

Influence on popular culture

Because Rust's flight seemed to be a blow to the authority of the totalitarian Soviet regime, it was the source of numerous jokes and urban legends. The concept of Totalitarianism is a typology or ideal-type used by some political scientists to encapsulate the characteristics of a number of twentieth century regimes that mobilized entire populations in support of the state or an ideology. ...

• For some time after the landing, people who hailed taxis to get to the Red Square jokingly instructed the drivers to go to Sheremetyevo-3.
• A group of people gathers with luggage on the Red Square. A policeman asks them why they are there, and they answer him: "We're waiting for the plane to Hamburg."
• Very soon after the incident, SubLogic, the original publishers of the Flight Simulator franchise, issued a scenery disk that expanded the original program's coverage area to include Western Europe. A challenge in the program was to land in Red Square like Rust had just done. This challenge also appeared as an Adventure in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000, complete with humorous banter between your aircraft and Moscow Traffic.

The German band The Robocop Kraus has a song called "You Don't Have To Shout" on their album They Think They Are The Robocop Kraus which references the flight. Sheremetyevo International Airport (Russian: Шереме́тьево) is otherwise known as Sheremetyevo-2. ... This article is about the city in Germany. ... The correct title of this article is . ... Microsoft Flight Simulator is a flight simulator program for Microsoft Windows, marketed and often seen as a video game. ... The Robocop Kraus are a post-punk revival/indie rock band from Nuremberg, Germany. ...

The studio band Megabyte created a song "Secret Destination (The Flight of Mathias Rust)" on their album "Powerplay", released by Innovative Communication in 1987.

The American band Piñataland wrote a song about the landing, entitled "Flying Down to Moscow" on their CD "Songs for the Forgotten Future Volume 1." Piñataland is a Brooklyn-based musical group created by David Wechsler and Doug Stone. ...

The Norwegian pop/folk band D.D.E. wrote a song about hope, called "Det umulige e mulig" (en: "The impossible is possible") with numerous references to Mathias Rust's famous flight - "a small plane landed on the Red Square". D.D.E is a Norwegian pop/folk group founded in Namsos. ...

The American band Wampeters wrote a song called "Mathias Rust" that celebrates Mathias as a "hero or a scourge."

The Brazilian band "Engenheiros do Hawaii" ("Hawaii Engineers") wrote two songs called "Exército de Um Homem Só I" and "Exército de Um Homem Só II" ("One Man Army I" and "One Man Army II") dedicated to Mathias Rust. The first dedicated to his soviet air-space invasion, and the second dedicated to his attack on the nurse. Some people believe this to be an ironic dedication.

The Peruvian New Wave band JAS wrote a song in 1988 dedicated to Mathias Rust called "Piloto Adolescente" (Teenager pilot).

The animated music video 'Novoya Zarya' by popular Russian singer Oleg Gazmanov features a scene towards the end where a Cessna is attempting to land in Red Square but is repeatedly rammed and chased away by the double-headed Russian Imperial Eagle See Here Oleg Mikhaylovich Gazmanov (Russian: , born July 22, 1951, Gusev) is a Russian singer. ...

Media about Mathias Rust

Following the recent 20th anniversary (May 28, 2007) of his flight, the international media interviewed Mr. Rust about the flight and its aftermath. The Washington Post and German Bild both have online editions of their interviews. However, the most comprehensive TV-interview online is produced by The Danish Broadcasting Corporation. On their website Rust in Red Square a full English version is available. Here, Mathias Rust (recorded in May 2007) gives a full recount of the flight. The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ... The Bild-Zeitung (lit. ...

References

External links

• Rust in Red Square (English) about the flight and the aftermath. Interview clips are embedded in a flash presentation. (Oct 2007)
• TV Interview 2007 on YouTube English interview in Danish news cast eng/eng subs (May 28, 2007)
• Guardian: interview with Mathias Rust
• Where Are They Now?: Mathias Rust
• Recent photo of Rust's plane in Japan
• Novaya Gazeta: РУСТ — ЭТО ПО-НАШЕМУ
• Washington Post: A Dubious Diplomat Washington Post article on Rust incident, aftermath, and Rust's life today. (May 27, 2007)

• Mathias Rust, fly to the hearth of USSR (By Jose Antonio Lozano - In Spanish)