TWO pilots are being probed for making a penis-shaped symbol on air radar in solidarity with Russia’s football team captain Artem Dzyuba.
Dzyuba, 32, was suspended from the international team after an explicit video of him masturbating in bed was made public.
Artem Dzyuba was axed from international duties after a video of him masturbating surfaced online
The pilots decided to perform the maneuver in solidarity with the footballerCredit: FlightRadar
The crew members of Pobeda Airlines are said to have manoeuvred their plane to fly a penis-shaped route in support of the star.
Flight DP407 took the detour as it headed to Yekaterinburg from Moscow on November 11.
Russian state media called it a “ballsy flight path” and wondered whether the actions of the pilots were “a bit too cocky”.
A spokesman for the budget airline said: “This was probably the way in which Pobeda captains expressed their support to Russian team captain Artem Dzyuba and showed their attitude to him being bullied.”
An investigation into the incident by the Federal Air Transport Agency was later confirmed.
Reports indicate that the unnamed crew members had requested to perform air manoeuvres because they needed to “check radio-navigation equipment”.
As a result of the stunt, the flight landed 20 minutes later than scheduled.
Executive director of Aviaport agency, Oleg Pantelev told RBC News that investigations were being conducted into whether the pilots had permission to perform unusual maneuvers around Neftekamsk.
An investigation has been launched to determine whether the crew members crossed ethical boundariesCredit: Pobeda airline
They also want to find out whether the air stunt was a threat to safety and if the boundaries of what is considered ethical behaviour had been crossed.
Roman Gusarov, editor in chief of avid.ru said: “You have got to be mad to perform manoeuvres like this.
“These kinds of things get punished severely.”
He also said the stunt had appeared to be “extremely dangerous” because of the high density of air traffic.
Gusarov added: “Moreover to draw something like this and then to admit to it means confessing to hooliganism”.
Meanwhile, the country’s Federal Security Service has launched its own investigation into whether the Zenit St Petersburg footballer was the victim of a $5 million blackmail over the explicit video.
It was allegedly acquired when his mobile phone was hacked.
Reports allege that Dzyuba met with the hacker but refused to pay the ransom.
He was made captain of the Russian squad in 2018 after he scored three times in the World Cup, helping his country secure a place in the quarterfinals.
After the video was leaked, the married player in a video said: “I am not perfect, just like anyone else.
“I make mistakes. We are all sinners, unfortunately.
“I can only blame myself.”
The FSB is investigating whether the footballer was blackmailed for $5 million over the explicit videoCredit: Artem Dzyuba
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
