In addition to writing for Aviation Week Network, Maxim holds a key position at Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine (www.ato.ru). In the past he was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications and earlier worked for the Moscow-based CAST defense think-tank.
Maxim has a degree on international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, and for several years worked at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, has withdrawn the last Soviet-era legacy type—the Ilyushin Il-96 widebody—from its fleet.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.
