Maksim covers aerospace developments in Central Asia for Aviation Week. He has worked for Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine and was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications after working for the Moscow-based CAST defense think tank.
Maksim has a degree in international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow.
Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, has withdrawn the last Soviet-era legacy type—the Ilyushin Il-96 widebody—from its fleet. The first aircraft out of six of this type was retired in October; the last aircraft, #96008, operated its final commercial flight on March 30 from Tashkent to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, the airline’s home base. According to Aeroflot, the type is now being replaced by Boeing 777-300ERs.
Maxim Pyadushkin (Moscow ), Christina Mackenzie (Paris)
The Asia-Pacific region is a critical area that could soon be hotly contested, with Russia, China and India vying for influence and others determined to protect their interests and maintain the maritime status quo. Many factors could upset the balance of power. China's ambitions in the Pacific possibly include establishment of sea-denial boundaries up to 2,700 km (1,678 mi.) from its coasts.
