Alexandrov Red Army Choir - Kalinka

[Donkees]

3. 'Leading soloist, Vadim Ananiev, known to Western audiences as Mr Kalinka, also survived ...'

Leading soloist of Alexander Ensemble, Vadim Ananiev, known to Western audiences as Mr Kalinka, after the famous Russian song, also survived because he was given leave of absence because his wife had given birth to his third child.

Numbed from the tragedy, he said: "My state of mind is like somebody hit me on the head. I am shocked, first of all, I don't believe it, I still can't believe it. I think it is such a nonsense... people say I was born very lucky, maybe, I don't know."

He said the ensemble had been due to stage one big concert in Syria, and a number of smaller ones.

"If several concerts had been planned I would not have asked to stay behind. So I am standing in front of you now, but I should have gone."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/worldnews/2475686/russian-airliner-carrying-92-passengers-including-world-famous-military-choir-to-syria-crashes-into-the-sea-moments-after-take-off-from-sochi/