The Russian Embassy in Dushanbe is closely watching the ongoing trial of a Russian pilot accused of violating customs and flight regulations, an embassy officer said on Friday.
The trial of Vladimir Sadovnichy, as well as Estonian national Alexei Rudenko, both pilots of a Russian airline, started on Wednesday.
According to prosecutors, the two pilots worked for a company delivering humanitarian cargoes to Afghanistan.
In March they illegally crossed the Tajik border from Afghanistan, landing in the city of Kurgan Tyube with what court documents describe as a “contraband aircraft engine” on board.
The pilots have pleaded not guilty.
