Vitaly Kaloyev

Vitaly Konstantinovich Kaloyev (Russian: Виталий Константинович Калоев, IPA: [vʲɪˈtalʲɪj kənstɐnʲˈtʲinəvʲɪtɕ kɐˈlojɪf]; Iron Ossetic: Калоты Къостайы фырт Витали, romanized: Kaloty Qostaiy fyrt Vitali, IPA: [kɑloˈtə qostɑˈjə ˈfərt viˈtɑli]; born 15 January 1956) is a Russian former architect who was convicted of the premeditated murder of an air traffic controller after his family died aboard BAL Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937, which collided with DHL International Aviation ME Flight 611 over Überlingen, Germany, on 1 July 2002.

Kaloyev held Peter Nielsen (16 August 1967 – 24 February 2004), the sole air traffic controller in Switzerland who was handling traffic the night of the collision, responsible. In 2004, Kaloyev travelled to the Swiss town of Kloten, where he killed Nielsen, who had since retired from his air traffic control job at Skyguide.

After his release from prison, Kaloyev was appointed deputy minister of construction of North Ossetia–Alania. In 2016, upon retirement from the local Ossetian government, Kaloyev was awarded the highest regional medal by that government, the medal "To the Glory of Ossetia". The medal is awarded for the highest achievements, improving the living conditions of the inhabitants of the region, for educating the younger generation and maintaining law and order.