Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Downed Russian pilot in Syria used machine pistol, grenade in last stand
Guns.com ^ | 02/09/18 | Chris Eger

Posted on 02/09/2018 10:02:47 AM PST by Simon Green

The pilot of a shot down Russian Aerospace Force Su-25SM attack aircraft, when cornered by insurgents last week, reportedly resorted to his personal weapons and was not taken alive.

According to releases from the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major Roman Filipov, 33, was shot down by a shoulder-launched missile near the town of Maarrat al-Nu’man on Feb. 3 while on a routine patrol. Ejecting in an area controlled by Al-Nusra — a jihadist group labeled as terrorists by both the U.S. and Russia — Filipov continued his fight once on the ground.

In a statement from Col. Gen. Sergei Surovikin, commander of the Russian air force, “Being badly wounded, and when distance from militants reached several dozen meters, the Russian officer exploded a hand grenade.”

The Sun, a tabloid in the UK, among others reported that, before his death, the 18-year veteran radioed to his base in Khmeimim that he had shot two insurgents and, before setting off the grenade that killed him, yelled, “This is for our guys.”

In 2015, Russian state media detailed that aircrew operating in Syria were carrying AK pattern rifles, and Stechkin APS machine pistols with several 20-round magazines to use should they have to eject.

The non-profit Russian-language Conflict Intelligence Team think tank posted images of items purportedly recovered from the wreckage including handwritten notes and a Stechkin APS pistol with three partially loaded mags, one of which appears empty.

Filipov, whose remains were repatriated to Russia through the help of Turkish officials, was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation, that country’s highest title. He was honored in Voronezh, his hometown, about 300 miles from Moscow, on Thursday. Among the crowd of 30,000 who attended the snow-covered ceremony were his widow and four-year-old daughter,


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; russia; syria
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-74 next last

1 posted on 02/09/2018 10:02:47 AM PST by Simon Green
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Simon Green
This has been posted several times, but I still like it. Ya gotta admire the man's spirit.

Reminds me of that old poster "Last Great Act of Defiance" with the mouse flippin off the raptor. Hehehe. d;^)

2 posted on 02/09/2018 10:10:44 AM PST by CopperTop (Outside the wire it's just us chickens. Dig?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CopperTop
This has been posted several times, but I still like it. Ya gotta admire the man's spirit.

I think the picture and info about the machine pistol is new, which is why I posted it.

3 posted on 02/09/2018 10:14:40 AM PST by Simon Green
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

I honor him as a warrior fighting for his country.

JoMa


4 posted on 02/09/2018 10:18:55 AM PST by joma89
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CopperTop
The Alamo. And that Russian pilot.


5 posted on 02/09/2018 10:19:12 AM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

Is this his weapon? Also, I was glad to see that he had a hero’s funeral in Russia.


6 posted on 02/09/2018 10:19:12 AM PST by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

When fighting savages like the jihadists, the Japanese, the Eaffan SS,the Vietcong you save the last bullet for yourself. It’s the only way.


7 posted on 02/09/2018 10:21:40 AM PST by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept? Vive Deo et Vives)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green
Rudyard Kipling had it best when describing warfare against the Moslems ...

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
And go to your Gawd like a soldier.

8 posted on 02/09/2018 10:27:52 AM PST by BlueLancer (Black Rifle Coffee - Freedom, guns, tits, bacon, and booze!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

Yeah, I’d only heard about the grenade previously. d:^)


9 posted on 02/09/2018 10:29:13 AM PST by CopperTop (Outside the wire it's just us chickens. Dig?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

Apparently Ivan is still producing warriors.

5.56mm


10 posted on 02/09/2018 10:34:30 AM PST by M Kehoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

What was he going to do, surrender to these animals??


11 posted on 02/09/2018 10:38:04 AM PST by Mouton (The MSM is a clear and present danger to the republic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

Ain’t jelly, it’s jammed.

And your going to have a hard time hitting anything if that’s on auto.


12 posted on 02/09/2018 10:40:08 AM PST by Snickering Hound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mouton

> What was he going to do, surrender to these animals?? <

When ISIS captures a pilot, their standard procedure is to burn them alive. And the I in ISIS stands for “Islamic”. Yet George W. Bush says “Islam is peace”. I’ve got the feeling that Bush was wrong.


13 posted on 02/09/2018 10:45:02 AM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Snickering Hound

It doesn’t look jammed - and he may have been mag swapping during lulls in the fight/when he got a chance, as you’re supposed to. Last mag being empty is probably the one that was in the gun when they got in close and he was forced to resort to the grenade.


14 posted on 02/09/2018 10:46:37 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Spktyr
It doesn’t look jammed - and he may have been mag swapping during lulls in the fight/when he got a chance, as you’re supposed to. Last mag being empty is probably the one that was in the gun when they got in close and he was forced to resort to the grenade.

I was thinking he was able to empty one magazine, got some stoppages got panicked and kept switching and then used the grenade on himself because it was the last thing he could count on.

15 posted on 02/09/2018 10:49:41 AM PST by Snickering Hound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: CopperTop
MANPADs are making close air support increasingly dangerous for pilots when attacking well-equipped ground troops....hence the USAF's preference for hitting them with smart weapons, preferably from either weapons platforms at 50,000 feet (well out of range from shoulder-fired weapons) or drones.

Also, smart artillery munitions are replacing many close air support missions...at least for US forces.

16 posted on 02/09/2018 10:49:58 AM PST by Simon Green
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

“MANPADs are making close air support increasingly dangerous for pilots when attacking well-equipped ground troops”

Thanks to Obama and Clinton.


17 posted on 02/09/2018 10:55:38 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneoHeÂ’s suddenly vocal after 8 years.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Snickering Hound

Looks like a TT-33; semi-auto, old, 7.62/25 with a lot of penetrating power.


18 posted on 02/09/2018 11:18:01 AM PST by pabianice (LINE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

Russkis are big on heroes - and heroic statues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAvgDhI01_A


19 posted on 02/09/2018 11:22:51 AM PST by ASOC (Having humility really means one is rarely humiliated)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Simon Green

I’m wondering where the first hand account of his last minutes came from. From the jihadis that killed him? Was his radio mike open during the whole time this event transpired?


20 posted on 02/09/2018 11:23:20 AM PST by fidelis (Zonie and USAF Cold Warrior)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-74 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson