Russia: The Heavenly Twins

(See Cover) Grey skies hung over Moscow, but the mood of the Soviet capital was far from somber. Patriotic marches blared from public loudspeakers, and hundreds of thousands of people milled about in streets festooned with flowers, banners and miniature rocket models. An Ilyushin turbo prop airliner, escorted by seven MIG jet fighters, swooped low over the city and dipped its wings. Moments later, at Vnukovo Airport on the outskirts of Mos cow, the plane came to a stop before a 100-long red carpet stretched over the runway. Out stepped Russia's two...

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