- Category
- War in Ukraine
Russian Military Pilot Reportedly Gunned Down in Tambov. Here’s What We Know
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
A 28-year-old man believed to be a Russian military pilot was found unconscious with gunshot wounds in Tambov, Russia, on November 6. He was hospitalized in serious condition following a suspected assassination attempt.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to The Insider on November 7, the injured man may be identified as Artem Snezhkov, a 28-year-old senior lieutenant reportedly serving in the Russian Aerospace Forces. Russian investigators have opened a criminal case on suspicion of attempted murder. The circumstances of the shooting and the identity of the attacker remain unknown.
The Insider reported that Snezhkov was discovered near a residential building in the northern part of Tambov on the morning of November 6. Journalists contacted Andrey Snezhkov, the suspected victim’s brother, who did not dispute reports of the injuries but said he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Insider linked Snezhkov to Russian military aviation through employment and registration records. Documents from 2020 listed the Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, named after A. K. Serov, as his place of employment.
By 2024, Snezhkov was registered at the Tambov-4 military settlement, located near the Tambov military airfield, also known as Dinary.
The airfield operates under Russia’s Aerospace Forces and serves as a training facility for long-range aviation crews. It uses Tu-134UBL aircraft to train pilots and navigators for Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 bombers, aircraft types employed by Russia in missile strikes against Ukraine.
The base is home to the 27th Composite Aviation Regiment, which operates An-12 and An-26 transport aircraft alongside Tu-134UBL training aircraft. The regiment belongs to Russia’s 43rd Guards Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Long-Range Aviation Flight Personnel.
The Insider’s findings establish a possible connection between the wounded officer and Russia’s military aviation training infrastructure. However, his current assignment and whether he has participated in combat operations against Ukraine have not been independently confirmed.
In September 2026, a Russian Aerospace Forces officer, reportedly Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, was shot and seriously wounded near Engels, home to a major Russian strategic bomber base. Ukrainian authorities have linked Varpakhovich to the July 2024 missile strike on Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital.
Discuss this article:
