---
title: "A Russian Man Got Drunk AF And Tried To Hijack An Airplane"
description: "A Russian man got drunk as all hell and tried to hijack an airplane on Tuesday, according to Russian news agencies."
date: "2019-01-22"
modified: "2019-01-22"
authors:
  - name: "Paul Szoldra"
    job_title: "Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/paul-szoldra/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/drunk-russian-hijacking/"
categories:
  - "Aircraft"
  - "Culture"
  - "Mandatory Fun"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
tags:
  - "European Command"
---

# A Russian Man Got Drunk AF And Tried To Hijack An Airplane

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/19107762-1.jpg>)

A Russian man got drunk as all hell and tried to hijack an airplane on Tuesday, [according](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-airplane-hijacking/drunk-russian-man-detained-after-failed-attempt-to-hijack-plane-idUSKCN1PG1IA>) to Russian news agencies.

So, pretty much your typical day in Siberia. No seriously: As Reuters notes, "drunken incidents involving passengers on commercial flights in Russia are fairly common, though it is unusual for them to result in flights being diverted."

Aeroflot SU1515 took off from Surgut in Siberia at 12:55 p.m. Moscow time before it changed course about 15 minutes later, [according](<https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/22/europe/russian-flight-hijack-attempt-intl/index.html>) to CNN. The reason was 41-year-old [Pavel Shapovalov](<https://www.rt.com/news/449400-passeger-demands-divert-plane-afghanistan/>), who claimed he had a gun and tried to break into the cockpit to demand they fly to Afghanistan, for some reason.

It probably went something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGgGCvuez14

Super Troopers-you boys like mexico?

[www.youtube.com](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGgGCvuez14>)

The pilot instead made an emergency landing in West Siberia, where Shapovalov was taken off the plane by a bunch of cops as other passengers clapped (he did not actually have a gun).

According to RT, this isn't his first run in with law: He was previously convicted on charges of property damage and has been detained "multiple times" — I know this will come as a shock — over drunk and disorderly behavior.

He could face jail time between seven to 12 years, [according](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-airplane-hijacking/drunk-russian-man-detained-after-failed-attempt-to-hijack-plane-idUSKCN1PG1IA>) to Reuters.

### SEE ALSO: 3 Russian Military Aircraft Have Crashed In The Last Week

### WATCH: Russia Just Showed Off Its New Laser Weapon

## Author
Paul Szoldra was the Editor in Chief of Task & Purpose from October 2018 until August 2022. Since joining T&P, he has led a talented team of writers, editors, and creators who produce military journalism reaching millions of readers each month. He also founded and edits [Duffel Blog](<https://www.duffelblog.com/>), a popular satirical newsletter for the military. Before becoming a journalist in 2013, he served as a Marine infantryman in Afghanistan, Korea, and other areas of the Pacific. His eyes still go up every time a helicopter from Camp Pendleton flies over his office in Southern California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/paulszoldra>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulszoldra/>)  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/pszoldra>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/paulszoldra/>)