Vitaly Kaloyev

Who is Vitaly Kaloyev?

Vitaly Konstantinovich Kaloyev is an architect and deputy minister of housing from North Ossetia, Russia, known for his 2004 murder of Peter Nielsen in the Swiss town of Kloten.

Kaloyev was born in Vladikavkaz. His family died aboard Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937, which collided with DHL Flight 611 over Überlingen, Germany on 1 July 2002. Nielsen, an air traffic controller handling traffic when the collision occurred, was freed from any responsibility in the following inquest and he retired from further air traffic work afterward. However, Kaloyev held Nielsen responsible, and became a hero in his native Caucasus republic following the murder. Kaloyev was released from prison in November 2007 and shortly after was appointed deputy minister of construction of North Ossetia–Alania.