Death of Alexei Korshenko
On June 6, the body of 57-year-old Alexei Korshenko, director of the Sheremetyevo business aviation terminal, was discovered hanging from the balcony of his apartment on Flotskaya Street in Moscow. Investigators have classified his death as a suicide. Reports indicate that Korshenko possessed knowledge about the maintenance of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane prior to its crash.
Circumstances of the Crash
During the summer of 2023, Prigozhin’s aircraft underwent technical servicing inside the terminal’s hangar. This work included replacing a brake on one of the landing gear assemblies. The brake component was purchased from a Russian airline. Additionally, a turbocharger cooler was ordered from the United States and delivered to Moscow despite existing sanctions. However, the American-made cooler never reached the aircraft; the supplier reported that the unit fell while in storage at Sheremetyevo and sustained severe damage.
The company 'Protector,' owned by Pavel Provotorov, then offered a turbocharger cooler of unknown origin, which was installed on the plane before departure. According to the VCHK-OGPU channel, Provotorov has ties to individuals connected to Russia’s FSB, including Arkady Berkovich—also known under other aliases. On the morning of the flight, employees of JSC 'Rusjet,' a company led by Berkovich-Petrov, visited the aircraft’s cabin.
After the crash, a Rosaviatsia official who arrived at VIP Terminal A was barred from working. The investigation involved Pavel Tonkoshkurov, deputy head of Rosaviatsia’s Transport Safety Department. He interviewed staff from the refueling and aircraft servicing teams, but was denied access to security cameras, X-ray scanners, and documentation. Instead, he was handed a crumpled inspection report for Prigozhin’s plane, which had been found on the runway—a document that should have remained with the crew but had been crushed and discarded. The FSB later seized this finding.
'Korshenko could have answered most of the questions surrounding the explosion of Prigozhin’s plane. But now he never will.' — VCHK-OGPU
The circumstances of Korshenko’s death and the aircraft disaster have drawn significant attention, underscoring the need for a thorough investigation.
Key Individuals and Organizations
Key figures in this case include:
- Alexei Korshenko
- Yevgeny Prigozhin
- Pavel Provotorov
- Arkady Berkovich (also known as Artur Khabibullin, Andrei Petrov)
- Pavel Tonkoshkurov
Notable organizations involved in this matter are:
- VCHK-OGPU
- 'Protector' company
- JSC 'Rusjet'
- Rosaviatsia
- FSB of Russia
The death of Alexei Korshenko, occurring against the backdrop of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane crash, highlights the gravity of the situation surrounding the aircraft’s technical maintenance. The loss of a key witness and the withholding of critical information could hinder the investigation into aviation safety in Russia. Future steps by investigative authorities may reveal new details not only about this tragedy but also about broader issues in the country’s aviation security sector.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of Alexei Korshenko raise questions about safety protocols in aviation. Similar incidents have occurred in the aviation industry, such as the tragic case of a flight instructor who died after jumping from a plane without a parachute in Argentina. To explore the details of this incident and understand the risks involved in aviation training, visit this report on the flight instructor's tragic accident.