War criminals are the new elite of Russia: Roman Kobets and Ivan Boldyrev
Roman Kobets and Ivan Boldyrev, both Russian servicemen, participated in the seizure of the Hostomel airfield as crew members of a Ka-52 helicopter.
On February 24, 2022, the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Major Boldyrev and Lieutenant Colonel Kobets flew to the Hostomel airfield as part of a strike group tasked with covering troop landings. During the operation, their helicopter sustained severe damage from Ukrainian defenders. Later, their aircraft was shot down, leaving both pilots narrowly escaping death. This gave both pilots the opportunity to tell propagandists vivid stories about their rescue from the burning aircraft.
In his interviews to propagandists, Boldyrev frequently praises Russian military equipment and the army, while Kobets has expressed cynical views on the war. He admitted that on the invasion’s first day, he believed that the “brotherly Ukrainian people” would not resist, and the missiles that struck his helicopter took him by “surprise.” He justifies the war by claiming that Russia is “defending its borders and ideology,” while dismissing Ukraine’s struggle for independence as incomprehensible.
The world’s largest airplane, the AN-225 Mriya, was destroyed by Russian forces at the Hostomel airfield. During the occupation of Hostomel and other towns in the northern Kyiv region, over 1,400 civilians were killed, and the world was shocked by the atrocities committed by the Russian invaders. Despite this, Kobets and Boldyrev were awarded the Russian Hero Star for their roles in the Hostomel operation. The pilots have also been featured as participants in the Kremlin’s “Time of Heroes” program, aimed at shaping “Russia’s new elite”.
