A 41-year-old Russian paratrooper died on August 2 during an Airborne Forces Day celebration when his parachute failed to open. The incident occurred at the Vatulino airfield near Moscow.
Footage from the event shows the soldier leaping from a plane at an altitude of nearly 2,000 feet. His main parachute did not deploy, and attempts to activate a reserve parachute were unsuccessful due to the short distance to the ground.
Airborne Forces Day is a commemoration of Russia's paratroopers, who are military soldiers trained for deployment from aircraft into specific locations via parachute. The celebration took place as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues the invasion of Ukraine. Putin had recently issued a statement on the Kremlin's website, praising airborne divisions for their fortitude and commending soldiers participating in what Russia terms a "special military operation."
In related news, Russian authorities reported an alleged Ukrainian drone strike in Gelendzhik that killed at least seven people, including three children, and injured more than 40 others. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a Russian ballistic missile and drone attack killed at least 21 people in Ukraine.