Two Russian pilots were killed on Friday when ISIS militants downed a military helicopter near Palmyra in Syria
Russian military pilots Evgeny Dolgin and Ryafagat Khabibulin have both been confirmed dead.
According to the Russian defense ministry, the chopper had been attacking the advancing terrorists at the request of Damascus when it was taken down.
RT reports:
“On July 8, Russian military pilot-instructors Evgeny Dolgin and Ryafagat Khabibulin, were conducting a calibration flight on a Syrian Mi-25 (export version of the Mi-24) helicopter loaded with ammunition in the province of Homs,” the official statement from the Ministry of Defense reads.
“The crew received a request from the Syrian command group to help defeat the advancing terrorists and fire for effect. The captain of the aircraft, Ryafagat Khabibulin, made the decision to attack.”
The Ministry of Defense stated that due to the skillful actions of the crew the terrorists were thrown back and the attack had been thwarted.
However, their helicopter was shot down by terrorists as it was turning to head back to the base.
“Having spent their ammunition, while turning back to the base, the helicopter was shot down by terrorists from the ground and crashed in an area controlled by the Syrian government. The crew did not survive,” Russia’s defense ministry said, adding that both pilots will posthumously receive state awards for their actions.
Friday’s tragedy puts the number of Russian military casualties in Syria at 10.
In June, serviceman Anton Erygin suffered fatal wounds after falling under militant fire while guarding a Russian center for reconciliation convoy in Homs province.