The extraordinary family background of the courageous Russian pilot who committed suicide in Syria.
The body of the Russian pilot who committed suicide to avoid being captured alive after his plane was shot down in Syria has been returned to Russia.
A video recorded and posted online by the rebels shows Russian pilot Roman Filipov shouting "For our boys!" before pulling the pin on a grenade and committing suicide in front of enemy gunfire.
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| Flowers were placed in front of the Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow to commemorate pilot Roman Filipov. Photo: Sputnik |
The Russian Defense Ministry praised the 33-year-old soldier for fighting the rebels to the very last moment. Russian defense officials pledged support for Olga's widow and her two young children, as well as Filipov's parents.
Roman Filipov was a man "as brave as a lion," born into a military family and following in the footsteps of his father. His father, Nikolay, was a decorated pilot of the Russian Air Force who carried out numerous combat missions in the Chechen war. His mother, Elena, and his younger sister, Marina, also served in the Russian military.
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| Roman Filipov with a lion. Photo: Siberian Times |
Filipov's former teachers recall that their young student had wanted to become a pilot from his very first day of school. Galina Klepikova, the headmistress of School No. 85 in Voronezh, said of Filipov: "He always got the highest grades." Filipov's former teachers also had kind words for him: He was healthy, humble, had blue eyes, blond hair, and was neat and clean. He loved sports and was a good student. He dreamed of becoming a pilot...
Upon hearing the news of Filipov's courageous death, his teacher, Lyudmila Lazareva, was deeply shocked. She recalled: "He was like an adult, always serious and well-behaved. He was among the best students."
His classmate Roman Dudin recounted that Filipov's father was a source of inspiration. "When we were in school, the conflict was raging in Chechnya, and his father was directly involved in the mission. He was a fighter pilot."
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| Photo: Siberian Times |
Filipov's commanders also praised him as a courageous pilot. They said that he graduated from the Krasnodar Military Aviation Academy and had steadily risen through the ranks, from a senior pilot to Deputy Squadron Commander.
The funeral for Major Filipov will be held in his hometown of Voronezh in February. He will be posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia, and President Vladimir Putin will personally present the award.
