Alexander Mikhailovich Zuyev (; 1961 – June 10, 2001) was a captain of the former-Soviet Air Force (VVS) who piloted his Mikoyan MiG-29 to Trabzon, Turkey on May 20, 1989. Zuyev had married the daughter of the Chief-of-staff of the Air Division at the age of 25, and had applied to the test pilot school in Aktyubinsk due to his excellent performance but failed to get selected. Zuyev turned bitter about the rejection and when his marriage fell into difficulties, coupled with his personal doubts about the Soviet system, he decided to defect to the United States of America.[citation needed]