Vitaly Konstantinovich Kaloyev (Russian: Виталий Константинович Калоев, IPA: [vʲɪˈtalʲɪj kənstɐnʲˈtʲinəvʲɪtɕ kɐˈlojɪf]; Ossetian: Калоты Къостайы фырт Витали, romanized: Kaloty Qostaiy fyrt Vitali, IPA: [kɑloˈtə qostɑˈjə ˈfərt viˈtɑli]; born 15 January 1956) is a Russian former architect and convicted murderer who was found guilty of the premeditated killing 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.

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.

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.

Kaloyev then hired a Moscow private investigator to find Nielsen's address outside Zürich, before travelling to the former air traffic controller's home in Kloten.

[7] On 26 October 2005, Kaloyev was convicted of the premeditated killing of Nielsen (a charge that falls between murder and manslaughter in Switzerland) and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

[13] Returning to his home in North Ossetian city of Vladikavkaz, Kaloyev was met with enthusiastic crowds who cheered him as a hero.

[14][15] Vitaly Yusko, a member of a Russian organisation dedicated to helping the relatives of air crash victims, stated that "Kaloyev is a hero.

Many Russians appeared to share his sentiments, and believed that Kaloyev committed "a heroic deed avenging for the death of his family.

He held this post until 15 January 2016, when he retired, receiving the highest state award by the local government, the medal "To the Glory of Ossetia", on his 60th birthday.

[1] The medal was 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.

Kaloyev remarried more than a decade after the air tragedy, in approximately 2012 or 2013, to a woman named Irina Dzarasova, who was an engineer at OAO Sevkavkazenergo.

[18][19] A petition was filed to the government of North Ossetia–Alania on 15 June 2015 to dismiss Kaloyev from his position of deputy minister because it damages relationships of Russia with other countries.