In the dozen years it has taken him to get the story made into a movie, the exploits of real scientists have come close to what his fictional characters attempt.

VOA: standard.2010.06.09

As state television cameras chronicled his exploits for the Tuesday evening news, he co-piloted an amphibious firefighting plane, taking on water from a river and dumping it on burning fires in the Ryazan Region.

VOA: standard.2010.08.10