Russian Knights

The Russian Knights is an aerobatic demonstration team of the Russian Air Force. Originally formed on April 5, 1991 at the Kubinka Air Base as a team of six Sukhoi Su-27s, the team was the first to perform outside the Soviet Union in September 1991.
The team has performed with eight Su-30SM fighters since October 2016, and added eight Su-35S in November 2019, bringing its total aircraft to sixteen.

History

The team is based at Kubinka AFB, a major base of the Russian Air Force in the Moscow region.
Formed in 1991 with 6 Su-27 fighter jets, the team now operates 16 Sukhoi jets in total - 8 Su-30SM and 8 Su-35.

Accident and incidents

On 12 December 1995, when approaching the Cam Ranh airfield in adverse weather for refueling, two Su-27s and an Su-27UB of the Russian Knights team flew into a nearby mountain while in-formation, killing four pilots. The cause of the crash is attributed to a misinterpretation of approach-pattern instructions, and in particular the leading Il-76 that was acting as a reconnaissance aircraft.
On 16 August 2009, two Su-27s rehearsing acrobatic maneuvers collided near Moscow, killing one pilot and sending the jets crashing into nearby vacation homes. The dead pilot was the Russian Knights' commander, Guards Colonel Igor Tkachenko, a decorated air force officer.
On 9 June 2016, a Su-27 pilot was killed near Moscow as he failed to eject when trying to avoid homes.