Su-30 pilot recounts escorting Putin in Syria.

A Su-30 fighter pilot escorting President Putin's plane in Syria said they were ready to sacrifice themselves to intercept enemy missiles if any occurred.

Su-30 fighter jet. Photo: Sputnik.

"This time, the mission was to meet and escort President Vladimir Putin's plane to the runway," RT quoted Yury, one of the Su-30SM pilots, as telling Rossiya 1 channel at Hmeimim air base in Syria on December 16. "We were providing cover for the president's plane."

President Putin visited the Hmeimim base on the morning of December 11th. His plane was escorted by two Su-30SM fighter jets of the Russian Air Force operating in Syria.

According to Yury, the Su-30SM fighters flew in a "heat trap" mode to intercept missiles that might be heading towards the presidential aircraft.

"The temperature of the exhaust air from the Su-30SM was much higher" than that of the Il-96-300PU presidential aircraft, Yuri recounted. "We flew at maximum power because the fighters had different speeds. We were using ourselves to protect the presidential aircraft on both sides."

A video released later showed President Putin watching the Su-30SM fighter jets circle until they departed. On December 14, the Kremlin leader thanked the Russian pilots for protecting the presidential plane.

"I observed the pilots. During the landing, they not only flew close to the presidential plane but also lowered their altitude to fly below it," Putin said. "I thank them and hope they know this."

Putin watches Su-30SMs escorting the presidential plane. Video: RT.

According to VNE