Огромное небо [Ogromnoye nyebo] [English translation]

This story, my comrade, we mustn't forget.

Two friends in one squadron, the finest they've had.

What they served, and loved, and what mattered to them

The huge, immense sky, that

The huge, immense sky, that

The huge, immense sky, that they shared between them.

They were friends, they would fly so far and so high.

The stars seemed within reach, if they dared to try.

Disaster crept up on them out of nowhere:

Once, during a flight, when

Once, during a flight, when

Once during a flight, engines failed in mid-air.

Their flight failed, they must jump,

They certainly know,

But their plane would fall on the city below.

It would bring destruction with its fiery crash,

And thousands of lives would,

And thousands of lives would,

And thousands of lives would be lost in a flash.

Too early to jump, city blocks flashing by,

"Let's push for the forest!"--- the two friends decide.

"Bring death far from here as we possibly can.

Perhaps we'll get killed, yes,

Perhaps we'll get killed, yes,

Perhaps we'll get killed, but the city will stand."

The plane, like an arrow, lurched out of the sky,

The birch forest shook and then gave out a cry.

The grass on the glades has not grown back still...

And all city folks thought,

And all city folks thought,

And all city folks thought: "This must be a drill".

They lie in their grave, amidst silence, in truth,

An excellent country's two excellent youths,

So solemn and bright, glancing down upon them

The huge, immense sky, that

The huge, immense sky, that

The huge, immense sky, that they shared between them.

• Artist:Muslim Magomayev