Yaroslav Korshunov and his VDV comrades stared at the red light above the closed cargo bay door. The payload space of the Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane was wrapped in an air of expectant suspense. Every once in a while, the irregular rattling of the airframe or a cough from one of the paratroopers could be heard against the monotonous droning of the four turbofan engines...
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