Cosmonaut Boris Volynov named his version of the death of Yuri Gagarin

He told RIA Novosti that there are many versions of the catastrophe that killed the first cosmonaut, and it is very difficult to establish the truth.

"One of the versions is that the soldier launched a meteorological pilot balloon. This is a device weighing about a kilogram. If the plane collides with it with the glazing of the lantern at high speed, it will not seem a little”, - Volynov pointed out.

He clarified that it is impossible to see the weather balloon at high speed.

Note that Boris Volynov is on the commission to investigate the causes of the tragedy. He casts doubt on the version put forward earlier by cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, that Gagarin died because his plane got into the trail of a jet fighter flying past.

"Leonov said that he did not mention the name of the allegedly guilty test pilot, who is 90 years old, so as not to spoil his life. (Test pilot Stepan) Mikoyan knew all the test pilots. Only one person was ninety years old, who couldn’t pass near Gagarin in hypersound, because he was testing transport aircraft", - Volynov said.

He clarified that an experiment was being carried out, during which the MiG-15UTI aircraft, similar to the one on which Gagarin died, gained the same altitude and speed, and supersonic fighters flew around at different angles.

"The MiG-15UTI threw up, it fell down, but no emergency situation arose. Here is the point of view of a professional test pilot", - said the cosmonaut.

Volynov was preparing for flights with Gagarin.

It's worth reminding that the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin died on March 27, 1968 during a training flight of the MiG-15UTI near the village of Novoselovo, Vladimir Region. Until now, experts cannot establish the cause of the tragedy.

According to the investigation, before Gagarin's plane went into a tailspin, the cosmonaut's condition was absolutely normal. After that, an unforeseen event happened, due to which the machine was in a critical mode in a steep dive position. Together with Gagarin, the pilot-designer, regiment commander Vladimir Seregin died.