Photo by RIA Novosti
Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu posthumously nominated military pilot Roman Filipov, whose Sukhoi-25 plane was shot down in Syria’s Idlib on February 3 for the title of Hero of Russia.
While flying over the de-escalation zone Idlib on a ceasefire monitoring mission Filipov’s Sukhoi-25 plane was attacked by a missile. He managed to eject, but was killed by local militants. Two groups – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Jaish al-Nasr – have claimed downing of the Russian jet.
Filipov was deputy squadron commander of the Eastern Military District’s attack aviation regiment. According to the Defense Ministry, the officer is an experienced air pilot who had been to Syria on several assignments before.
A number of media outlets reported that Filipov had previously served in the Ukrainian army and allegedly took the side of Russia after the annexation of Crimea. However, Acting Governor of Primorye region Andrei Tarasenko said that the deceased had been in Russia’s Far East for many years.
belsat.eu, following TASS
