On August 11, 1979, a tragic aviation incident unfolded when two Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-134 aircraft collided in midair above the city of Dniprodzerzhynsk, now known as Kamianske, in Ukraine. Both planes, operating domestic flights within the Soviet Union, were flying at approximately the same altitude when the collision occurred. The accident resulted in the immediate destruction of both aircraft, leading to a devastating loss of life with all 178 passengers and crew members aboard perishing in the crash. The severity of the impact illustrated the potential dangers of midair collisions in dense air traffic environments.

Investigators later pointed to a series of factors, including miscommunication between air traffic controllers and the flight crews, as contributing elements to the disaster. The lack of advanced radar systems at the time diminished the air traffic controller's ability to effectively track and manage the aircraft's position, ultimately allowing the planes to operate on intersecting flight paths. This incident highlighted deficiencies in the Soviet aviation safety protocols and raised alarms both domestically and internationally regarding air travel standards in the Soviet Union.

Following the collision, the Soviet government and Aeroflot took measures to review and reform air traffic control systems. The accident became a catalyst for discussions around aviation safety standards and led to ongoing scrutiny of how Soviet aviation was regulated. The long-standing reputational struggles of Aeroflot were further compounded by this high-profile accident, pushing the need for modernization within the aviation sector in the years that followed.