09:13 17.04.2016
Surrounded by ISIS terrorists (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), a special operations officer drew fire on himself. He destroyed the terrorists, but died himself... In the Western press they called him the Russian Rambo, comparing him with a hero from an American action movie, when one is a warrior against all odds. Brave, fearless, fair. It turned out to be a guy from the Orenburg outback - Alexander Prokhorenko. With an appearance far from the image of a Hollywood superman.
Surrounded by ISIS terrorists (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), a Special Operations Forces officer drew fire on himself. He destroyed the terrorists, but died himself... In the Western press they called him the Russian Rambo, comparing him with a hero from an American action movie, when one, against all odds, is a warrior. Brave, fearless, fair. It turned out to be a guy from the Orenburg outback - Alexander Prokhorenko. With an appearance far from the image of a Hollywood superman. On March 31, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoy, reported on the special operation in Syria. Special Operations Forces officer Alexander Prokhorenko had died two weeks earlier. He never knew what an important role he played in the liberation of Palmyra. The ancient city is located in central Syria. From there, roads open to Damascus, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor. By the beginning of March, more than 4 thousand militants, up to 25 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, over 20 units of cannon and rocket artillery, about 100 ATGM systems, and more than 50 pickup trucks with heavy weapons settled near Palmyra. This is not counting mortars and small arms, trucks filled with explosives, zombified suicide bombers... During the entire operation, Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft attacked exclusively identified terrorist targets. Two rocket launchers According to the military, some objects are well camouflaged by the militants. Not everything is visible from the air. Therefore, scouts and gunners are thrown into the enemy’s lair. For a whole week the ISIS fighters did not know peace. They were bombed so hard that the work of the saboteurs was noticed. The game of cat and mouse has begun. The terrorists threw their best forces at this. Having discovered a Russian officer, they attacked. The way back was cut off by heavy fire. There was nowhere to wait for help. Alexander Prokhorenko found himself in a tight ring of encirclement... “During special operations in Chechnya, we were given two rocket launchers,” recalls Orenburg SOBR special forces soldier Igor Yakovlev (surname changed. - Ed.). “One of them fired green, which meant “our own.” Another gave red in the air. This was already perceived as “alien”. That is, only two signals to attract aviation. Of course, no one wanted to be captured. In the worst case scenario, they shot back to the last bullet. And if the horn ran out, they would engage in hand-to-hand combat. Being captured was considered equal to a death sentence - they did not spare prisoners. It's the same in Syria. I understand the fighter perfectly. ISIS would never have left him alive...From March 7 to March 27, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out about 500 combat missions. More than 2,000 targeted air strikes were carried out against ISIS terrorists. Following a tip from the ground, the planes tore apart the militants' bridgeheads and artillery at all dominant heights. They cut off the terrorists' supply of fuel and ammunition from neighboring Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. On March 23, units of the Syrian army again went on the offensive. Four days later, complete control was established over Palmyra. "We don't know anything!" In Sasha Prokhorenko’s homeland, in the Russian outback (the village of Gorodki, Orenburg region), they only know about the war in distant Syria from television screens. But the villagers perceived the pain of Sasha’s parents, who lost their beloved son, as a personal grief. In a village of 600 residents, everyone knows each other and perfectly remembers the guy who, as a child, played ball with the neighbor kids... To find out about Alexander, we went to Gorodki. The road to the regional center is normal, but to the village it is a bumpy dirt road. For about 10 kilometers it winds between birches and hills. The Cossack village of Gorodki is located at the end of a long grove. - Could you tell me where Prokhorenko’s house is? - we ask the first passerby we come across. “Yes, there he is, on the outskirts,” the man waved his hand. Brick house, silver-painted gate. There is not a soul on the street, not even the dogs bark. We knock on the door. Useless. We want to leave, but suddenly it opens. The owner is a man of few words and immediately invites you into the house. - Come in, since you came from afar. The conversation is unlikely to work out... The room is bright. It feels homely and warm. A photograph of Alexander Prokhorenko is in the most prominent place. Next to the portrait there are icons, a wax candle is burning. Sasha’s mother Natalya Leonidovna is wearing a black scarf and crying all the time. We get a copy of Komsomolskaya Pravda. We show a note about the feat of a Russian officer. The father incredulously takes the newspaper in his hands, nervously flips through it, putting on his glasses. He reads fluently and greedily. “The military reported the death of their son without details, we know nothing,” says Alexander the eldest. - I will only say one thing - this is a grave loss for us... The soul is for God, the heart is for a woman, duty is for the Fatherland, honor is for no one! This is an old Cossack motto. Alexander Prokhorenko Jr. has followed him since childhood. He chose a career as an officer while still a schoolboy. I studied mostly excellently. He was interested in exact disciplines and emphasized physical education. In his free time, he helped his parents or went out with friends. Fortunately, the village of Gorodki, where Sasha was born and raised, is friendly. People don't just know each other. Families are bound by long-standing Cossack traditions. Here they sacredly honor the behests of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers. “For us he was Prokha,” say friends of Alexander Prokhorenko. “Fair, decent, kind.” He graduated from school in 2007 with a silver medal. With an excellent certificate he entered the Smolensk Military Academy of Air Defense. “He studied easily, graduated with honors,” recalls the hero’s acquaintance Evgeniy. “All the residents of the village were happy for him. By the way, his younger brother Vanya is also in Smolensk. He is 19, he is a second-year student at the same military almamater. “Sasha’s wife’s name is Katya,” the Gorodetsky village council reported. - You can’t even imagine how happy he was! He loved his wife very much, took care of her, and gave her expensive gifts. They even look somewhat similar to him. “Aren’t you brother and sister?” - they joked at their wedding... “There was a hero in our village who died while fulfilling his international duty in Afghanistan,” recalls local resident Natalya, wiping away her tears. - Now the whole world has learned about Gorodki because of the heroic death of Sasha. Sasha’s dad, our best mechanic, took it all painfully. He was one of our frontline workers, and Sasha’s mother works as a cleaner in the village administration. They don’t communicate with anyone now. “You understand, until Sasha’s body is buried, we would not like to talk about him,” says one of the teachers. - When the time comes, we’ll tell you everything. And we'll have a memorial evening. In our school museum we have a cap that Sasha left to his brother. Alexander graduated from school 9 years ago, in 2007, with a silver medal. The guy was not only very smart, but also very athletic. He played lapta masterfully, was distinguished by his endurance, and always came first in cross-country games. They will do anything for the family This was stated by the Governor of the Orenburg Region Yuri Berg. On March 30, he visited the parents of Alexander Prokhorenko: he personally expressed his condolences and inquired about the problems. The grief of the family cannot be expressed in words,” noted Yuri Alexandrovich upon returning. - Words of support were sent to the hero’s parents on behalf of all residents of the Orenburg region. Alexander gave his life, causing fire on himself. We mourn together over the death of our fellow countryman, his name will forever remain in our hearts. The memory of Alexander Prokhorenko, a simple Orenburg guy who gave his life for life on earth, will be immortalized, said Yuri Berg. - A street in Orenburg will be named after the hero.
MURMANSK, September 30 - RIA Novosti. The war in Syria seems very far away - on TV screens and newspaper pages it looks not so bloody and almost not scary at all. But the shells of this war, although they explode far from Russian borders, echo in our homes with the echo of grief and loss.
"If Russia had not intervened." The VKS have been conducting operations in Syria for a year now.Russia managed to carry out a number of operational military tasks in Syria, inflict significant damage on the terrorists’ infrastructure, and create a good foundation for the Syrian army to launch a counteroffensive in a number of key areas.And yet, the year that has passed since Russia decided to take part in the military operation in Syria has brought us not only losses. It became a lesson in courage for all Russians and inscribed in the history of our country the names of new heroes, of whom we will not only mourn, but of whom we can and will be proud. Loyalty to word and deed, honor and courage, understanding of duty and responsibility - these qualities were characteristic not only of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Today, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren give their lives performing military duty and fighting terrorism. Now they are becoming an example for new generations - an example of loyalty to the given word, the chosen path, the given oath and military duty.
Oleg Peshkov's last business trip
A native of the village of Koshikha, Altai Territory, Oleg Peshkov was at the controls of the same SU-24 aircraft that was shot down by an air-to-air missile from a Turkish F-16 over Syrian territory and crashed in Syria 4 kilometers from the border with Turkey. Pilot Peshkov was shot from the ground by militants during an ejection in territory controlled by Syrian Turkmens. Doctors managed to save his navigator Konstantin Murakhtin. Marine Alexander Pozynich took part in the operation to rescue the crew, but he also ended up on the list of dead. The pilot was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
The Peshkov family learned from the news that a Russian Su-24M bomber was shot down in Syria. Oleg Peshkov was remembered in different parts of the country - by relatives and colleagues, friends and those whom fate brought together at least once with the pilot. “He loved the sky very much, his profession, the Russian man... The concept of “officer’s honor” was not an empty phrase for him,” recalls Peshkov’s colleague Sergei Vetrov. There were never military personnel in Oleg Peshkov's family - his father worked on the May 1 collective farm as a mechanic, and his mother worked as an accountant in the district social services department. But, according to his younger brother, Pavel, Oleg dreamed of being a military pilot since childhood and devoted his whole life to this profession.
The pilot’s memory was immortalized in Yekaterinburg - he studied in this city. Now his bas-relief is installed here. Another bust is located in the military unit of the Belogorsky district of the Amur region, where the hero of Russia served for seven years. The author of the sketch admitted that the work was responsible - it was necessary to convey not only facial features, but also character. “From a young age, he was capable of action. In all the photographs he has a clear look, he is so firmly on his feet, confident,” notes the author of the sketch, Nikolai Nevedomsky.
The local history museum in Barnaul decided to dedicate part of the exhibition to the heroically deceased fellow countryman. For this, the Peshkov family gave the museum workers a flight tablet, photographs and other personal belongings of Oleg Anatolyevich. In the capital of the Altai Territory, a memorial plaque dedicated to the heroes of Russia, natives of Altai, who died in the line of military duty in local conflicts, was solemnly unveiled.
Pilots Oleg Peshkov (posthumously) and Konstantin Murakhtin were also solemnly awarded orders and medals of the Syrian Arab Republic.
A memorial plaque also appeared in the village of Kosikha near Barnaul, where Peshkov was born and raised. The school in the Lipetsk region, where the hero’s children study today, and where he himself spoke on courage lessons more than once, was named after the pilot. Students of the Altai boarding school with initial flight training will receive a scholarship named after Peshkov.
At the Suvorov Military School in Yekaterinburg, the name of Oleg Peshkov, a 1987 graduate, is planned to be permanently included in the list of personnel. This means that here he will have a separate bed, on it - a Suvorov cap and a sign describing the feat. And at every evening roll call the name of Oleg Peshkov will be heard.
The deceased was 45 years old.
Senior Lieutenant Prokhorenko: I call fire on myself
The message about the death of 25-year-old Russian special forces officer Senior Lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko came in March of this year. He died while directing airstrikes against terrorists near Palmyra. Prokhorenko drew fire on himself when he was discovered and surrounded by militants. For his courage and heroism, Prokhorenko was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
Not only his fellow countrymen remember and are proud of the hero and his feat. The school where he studied in his native village is named after Alexander Prokhorenko. There is a bust of the fallen officer in front of the school building, and a memorial plaque on the wall. “Your school bears the name not of a book hero, but of a person who grew up with you, you knew him and can rightfully be proud of him. Be worthy of his memory,” actor Sergei Bezrukov told the students at the ceremony.
The school director, Sergei Danshov, admitted that the village residents are proud that the school is named after Prokhorenko. “We live without him, but with the memory of him... we talk about him... literally in every lesson, about what his feat means for us Orenburg residents, the residents of Russia in general,” Danshov told RIA Novosti.
One of the streets in Orenburg is also named in honor of Alexander Prokhorenko. A memorial plaque in honor of the hero was installed on the barracks building where he lived.
They decided to perpetuate the memory of the deceased officer in Chechnya - at the beginning of September, a street located in the Leninsky district of Grozny was renamed in his honor.
But the main memory of the deceased will remain in the family of Prokhorenko himself - 4 months after his death, the widow Alexandra gave birth to a daughter, Violetta.
Gratitude from France
The highest state award - the star of the Hero of Russia - became the main, but not the only one for the Prokhorenko family. The hero received an unexpected and symbolic gift from France. Several French families, as a sign of gratitude and support, decided to give the relatives of the deceased pilot awards that were kept in their families as heirlooms. Micheline and Jean-Claude Maget gave the officer's parents, Alexander and Natalya Prokhorenko, as well as his brother Ivan, the Order of the Legion of Honor and the Military Cross with a Palm Branch, which were kept in their family.
Jean-Claude Maget said that he learned about the feat of the Russian serviceman, who caused fire on himself, from the Internet; this was not reported in the French media. “This man died a hero, and we are very proud of him. We want to present you with our family awards. Of course, this, one might say, does not have much official significance, it is a personal gesture,” the Frenchman said during the awards ceremony.
In addition, the Mage family gave the parents of the deceased officer commemorative medals from the city of Flamersant, which read: “To the parents of a soldier of the armed forces who died a hero,” as well as another Order of the Legion of Honor from another French citizen, Daniel Couture.
Another family, Flock, also donated relics kept in the family to the family of a Russian officer. “I give my father’s awards - this is the Order of the Legion of Honor, and other orders and medals - to the family of the hero Alexander Prokhorenko. When I learned about his feat, I immediately thought about my father - he also fought, was also very young, but he was lucky "to stay alive. I'm doing this in order to honor the memory of a hero who accomplished a feat in the fight against terrorism that was not even national, but world-class," said Jean-Paul Flock.
He admitted that his decision to transfer the orders was also influenced by the thought that “the Russians paid a very high price in the fight against Nazism.” Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked the French for the unexpected and touching gesture and called them “the best ambassadors of the French people.”
Erygin and Zhuravlev: died while performing combat missions
Anton Yerygin this spring, together with other colleagues, came under gunfire from militants while escorting vehicles from the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in the Syrian province of Homs. Anton was quickly taken to the hospital, where Russian military doctors fought for his life for two days, but were unable to save him. He was buried with military honors on May 12 at the cemetery in the village of Chertovitsy near Voronezh. For the courage and courage shown during the performance of a combat mission, Anton Erygin was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage.
Residents of the village where Anton was born came up with a proposal to perpetuate the memory of their heroic countryman, and the authorities have already decided to name one of the streets in Chertovitsy in honor of Anton Yerygin.
In addition, the city commission for cultural heritage decided to install a memorial plaque in the foyer of Lyceum No. 8 in Voronezh, where Erygin studied. The hero's name will also appear on the list at the monument to the fallen Voronezh internationalist soldiers.
Russian officer Fedor Zhuravlev died on November 9, 2015 while performing a combat mission to coordinate airstrikes by long-range strategic aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces against terrorist formations in Syria. By decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin dated December 8, 2015, Captain Zhuravlev was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, posthumously. The officer, who died in the line of military duty at the age of 27, was buried in the Bryansk region on November 25 last year.
© Photo: provided by the press service of the government of the Bryansk region
© Photo: provided by the press service of the government of the Bryansk region
A memorial plaque in honor of the deceased hero has already been unveiled on the school building where he studied in the village of Paltso, Bryansk region, and the school itself now bears his name.
Dolgin and Khabibullin: the last attack of ace pilots
Another memorial plaque appeared on the wall of a school in the village of Sokolovy in memory of its student Evgeniy Dolgin. Pilots Evgeny Dolgin and Ryafagat Khabibullin died in Syria on July 8, repelling a terrorist attack near Palmyra.
As the Ministry of Defense later said, on that day a large detachment of Islamic State militants attacked the positions of Syrian troops east of Palmyra. Having broken through the defenses, the terrorists were able to capture the dominant heights. “At this time, Khabibullin and Dolgin were flying over a Syrian Mi-25 helicopter. The crew commander, Khabibullin, decided to attack the terrorists. The terrorists’ attack was thwarted by the competent actions of the Russian crew,” this is how the feat of the Russian pilots is described in a few words.
In the village of Vyazovy Gai, Ulyanovsk region, his native, ace pilot Ryafagat Khabibullin, is remembered as a kind and modest man who did not like to talk about his exploits and the military operations in which he participated. But today, not only his fellow countrymen and colleagues know about his feat and are proud of him.
Events in memory of the heroically deceased pilot, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the Russian Aerospace Forces operation in Syria, will be held throughout the Ulyanovsk region. And on October 3, the opening of a memorial bas-relief in the village of Vyazovy Gai is planned.
A memorial sign with the name of Ryafagat Khabibullin was previously installed in the regional center - the village of Staraya Kulatka, next to the monument to soldiers who died in Chechnya and Afghanistan.
In the local historical and local history museum named after. HA. Ablyazov organized an exhibition dedicated to the ace pilot. Among its exhibits are Khabibullin’s personal belongings, which were donated by his widow for the exhibition.
Local authorities are preparing documents to rename a street in the village of Vyazovy Gai in honor of the deceased pilot. It is assumed that this will be the street in front of the house where Khabibullin lived. Now it is called Komsomolskaya. A local school will also be named after the pilot. As RIA Novosti reported, the administration of the Starokulatsky district plans to resolve the issue of renaming the street and school in November of this year.
The government of the Ulyanovsk region reported that they want to award Ryafagat Khabibullin the title of honorary citizen of the region. And in memory of Khibibullin, a football tournament will be held in the village. The villagers hope that military pilots, friends and colleagues of Ryafagat will come here to honor the memory of the hero.
Ryafagat Khabibullin was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (with swords), two Orders of Courage, the Order of Military Merit and the Order of Courage (Ulyanovsk Region).
Evgeny Dolgin was a native of the Saratov region, and recently lived in the Pskov region. The deceased pilot was buried in a cemetery in his home village of Sokolovy in the Saratov region. On September 3, a memorial plaque was unveiled on the walls of his home school in the village of Sokolovy. The idea of installing a memorial plaque with the name of the deceased pilot on July 14 at a meeting with the acting. The regional minister - chairman of the committee of public relations and national policy, Artur Zabbarov, was proposed by Dolgin's fellow villagers, representatives of public organizations, as well as the leadership of the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which the serviceman graduated.
In addition, on August 12, a permanent exhibition dedicated to Dolgin and made up of his personal belongings and photographs, which were donated to the museum by the serviceman’s family, opened in the Saratov historical and ethnographic complex “Falcon Mountain” in Victory Park.
Shirokopoyas, Shevchenko, Shelamov. Remember everyone by name
Junior Sergeant Shirokopoyas was wounded in the first half of May in the province of Aleppo. Military doctors promptly provided medical assistance, and he was taken to a military clinical hospital in Moscow by a special plane of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Russian military department said in a statement that the best doctors at the Main Military Clinical Hospital fought for Mikhail’s life. N.N. Burdenko, but the wound turned out to be incompatible with life. The soldier was posthumously presented with the Order of Courage.
35-year-old Mikhail was buried in Seryshevo, Amur Region, on June 11 with military honors. The junior sergeant is survived by his wife, 13-year-old daughter, parents and sister.
In the park near the regional museum of local history on the Alley of Memory, where photographs of Amur residents - Heroes of the Soviet Union, those who died in Chechnya and Afghanistan appeared at different times, at the request of the command of the 35th Army, a memorial plaque with a portrait of Shirokopyas was installed.
The death of private Nikita Shevchenko in the Syrian province of Aleppo became known on July 22. According to the official statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Shevchenko was driving a car escorting a convoy with food and water for local residents. At the entrance to the village, an improvised explosive device planted by militants went off next to the car. Doctors fought for the life of the seriously wounded Shevchenko, but they could not save him.
Nikita Shevchenko was buried in her homeland - in Birobidzhan. As a local school teacher said, many people came to Nikita’s funeral - not only relatives and those who knew him personally, but also residents of the city. Nikita Shevchenko was nominated for a state award posthumously.
According to the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense, on August 1, in the province of Idlib, a Russian military transport helicopter Mi-8 was shot down as a result of shelling from the ground. He was returning to Khmeimim airbase after delivering humanitarian aid to the city of Aleppo. On board the helicopter were three crew members and two officers from the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria. According to preliminary data, all of them died. Among the dead was a 29-year-old graduate of the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, Senior Lieutenant Oleg Shelamov, who was born in the city of Torzhok, Tver Region and graduated from secondary school No. 5 there.
Cases of deaths of Russian military personnel during the Aerospace Forces operation in SyriaOn September 30, 2015, at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia began carrying out airstrikes against terrorist targets in Syria. In March 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to withdraw most of the Russian Aerospace Forces group due to the successful completion of tasks.But, probably, the most important memorable gift for Alexander’s orphaned family was made by entrepreneurs from Yalta. Having learned that Alexander wanted to someday move his family to Crimea, they helped the hero’s relatives fulfill his dream: they gave his widow and child an apartment in the village of Gurzuf.
“This is a modest contribution from Crimeans and Yalta residents in particular to reward the hero. The apartment is located in a new building under construction in Gurzuf,” explained the Yalta administration.
The development of the situation is in the special project of RIA Novosti " " >>
Superior enemy forces
“The offensive was carried out with the support of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, and was preceded by powerful fire preparation. During the day, the militants managed to penetrate the defenses of government troops to a depth of 12 kilometers, at the front up to 20 kilometers,” the Ministry of Defense reports, clarifying that the clashes took place in the Idlib de-escalation zone.
Russian military personnel accomplished a feat in Syria
According to the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel General Sergei Rudsky, the terrorist offensive was initiated by American intelligence services in order to stop the successfully developing advance of government troops east of Deir ez-Zor, to the garrison of which the Syrian army broke through in early September.
For several hours, Russian police, together with a detachment of the Muali tribe, which had previously joined the truce, repelled attacks from superior enemy forces. The emergency was reported to the commander of the Russian group of troops in the SAR, Colonel General Sergei Surovikin.
The military commander decided to form a military police platoon to clear the blockade. It included units of the Special Operations Forces (SSO), military police staffed by immigrants from the North Caucasus, and Syrian special forces. The group was headed by the deputy head of the Russian center for reconciliation of warring parties, Hero of Russia, Major General Viktor Shulyak.
Fire support for the military personnel was provided by two Su-25 attack aircraft, which struck enemy personnel and armored vehicles from extremely low altitudes. As a result of the attack by Russian troops, the encirclement ring was broken. It was not possible to recapture the territory occupied by the terrorists, however, a platoon of military police and the rest of the military personnel reached the area where government troops were located without losses.
During the relief operation, three special forces soldiers were injured (the severity was not specified). All participants in the battle were nominated for state awards. The onslaught of Jabhat al-Nusra was stopped. “During the day, aviation strikes and artillery fire damaged 187 targets, destroyed about 850 terrorists, 11 tanks, 4 infantry fighting vehicles, 46 pickup trucks, 5 mortars, 20 trucks, 38 weapons depots,” Rudskoy reported.
The successful work of the airborne forces and artillery crews allowed the 5th Syrian Airborne Assault Corps to launch a counteroffensive and almost completely restore the lost position.
Difficult choice
The information provided by the Ministry of Defense provides great food for the analysis of the characteristics of the Russian military presence in Syria. According to the current agreements, four battalions of Russian military police monitor compliance with the truce in four de-escalation zones, performing mainly security functions. From open data it follows that the red berets are armed with small arms, grenade launchers and a number of armored vehicles (in particular, Typhoon and Tiger).
In the absence of heavy weapons, it is extremely difficult to repel massive attacks by militants. Nevertheless, the police were able to hold out without casualties. This indicates either the high combat readiness of the Russians and the skillful organization of defense, or that the militants’ attack on the platoon’s location was not accompanied by the support of tanks and artillery pieces.
The strike force that carried out the operation to relieve the blockade consisted of SOF officers, colleagues who were surrounded by police officers, Syrian special forces and the crew of two Su-25s (although at low altitudes it was much more logical to use helicopters).
The composition of the relief group may indicate that the Russian command is faced with a difficult choice. There probably wasn’t much strength to save the red berets, and that’s why it was necessary to pull together such motley formations. In particular, according to a similar scenario, an operation was organized to rescue the crew of a Su-24M front-line bomber shot down by Turkey on November 24, 2015. Then the Russian military was supported by Hezbollah special forces.
The fact that the military police platoon was surrounded means at least weak intelligence in the de-escalation zone. The Ministry of Defense nods to the American intelligence services, but the bottom line is that we get a miscalculation of either the Syrian army or our military intelligence (if, of course, it operated in the Hama area).
Jabhat al-Nusra's offensive was "large-scale," meaning its preparations could be traced. Placing responsibility on the American intelligence services (probably referring to the CIA, which oversees several gangs in the Syrian Arab Republic) is more reminiscent of an attempt to justify the mistake of government forces or Russian intelligence.
If the situation of the military police platoon, for various reasons, turned out to be truly deplorable, then the incident in the Hama area can, without exaggeration, be called a feat of Russian military personnel, and the rescue operation is unique due to the lack of necessary military equipment. Military police officers and MTR personnel covered themselves with unfading military glory.
For courage and heroism
The display of extraordinary courage and professionalism has always been a hallmark of our army. The operation in Syria was no exception. In the first half of May, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the title of Hero of Russia to four Russian SOF officers who, as part of a group of 16 people, repelled attacks by 300 Jabhat al-Nusra militants for two days. The encirclement became possible due to the chaotic retreat of the Syrian army.
On May 24, in the presence of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Putin personally awarded the special forces. This is not the first time that awards have been given to Russian military personnel who fight both in the sky and on the ground, although there is extremely scant information about the ground operations of the Russian army
Thus, in March, in the St. George Hall of the Kremlin, 21 participants in the operation in Syria received state awards: four servicemen received the title of Hero of Russia, 17 people received the Order of St. George, Courage, “For Merit to the Fatherland,” and “For Military Merit.” It is possible that the Russians awarded by the head of state, like their colleagues from the MTR, became victims of the unprofessionalism of the Syrian army.
The history of exploits is not always made public. The Russian state is not often the first to report on the heroism and dedication of our military personnel who died in battle with terrorists. This was the case with the message about the death of special forces soldier Alexander Prokhorenko, who caused fire on himself during the liberation of Palmyra on March 17, 2016. The lieutenant's feat was first reported by Western media, and only then did it find a response in Russia.
Few people know the feat of the 35-year-old chief of intelligence at the headquarters of a howitzer self-propelled artillery division, Captain Marat Akhmetshin. The funeral and posthumous awards took place in secrecy on June 6 and August 31, 2016. A native of Kazan died near Palmyra; his family received notification of his death on June 3, 2016.
On June 23, 2016, a decree of the President of the Russian Federation was issued awarding Akhmetshin the title of Hero of Russia “for courage and heroism in performing special tasks.” The circumstances of the feat are classified, but the general picture of the battle in January 2017 was described by the father of the deceased captain. From his words it follows that Akhmetshin and other servicemen confronted 200 militants.
“When help arrived and the attack was repulsed, he was found still alive. He, all wounded, held a grenade without a pin in his hand, and the earth around him was burning. Apparently, he wanted to blow himself up if ISIS approached. Our people took the grenade and threw it to the side so that it exploded. Only then did the son lose consciousness and fall face first into the fire,” said the father of the Russian hero.
Presumably, at the end of December 2016 or the beginning of January 2017, by a closed decree of the President of the Russian Federation, MTR officers who eliminated the organizers of the shelling of a Russian field hospital in Aleppo were awarded. On December 5, 2016, medics - sergeants Nadezhda Durachenko and Galina Mikhailova - became victims of militant shells. In total, the Syrian campaign took the lives of 34 Russians.
Russia's military operation in Syria lasted almost two years and ended with the almost complete destruction of terrorists on the territory of the Arab Republic. It is quite possible that it would have taken much longer to achieve the assigned tasks if not for the dedication of Russian military personnel, who even today maintain order in the Middle East.
"Russian Rambo"
March 17, 2016. Senior Lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko, who spent a week alone correcting the fire of Russian aviation in the very rear of the enemy in the Palmyra area, was surrounded by terrorists. The militants spotted his hiding place and tried to take the military man prisoner. But he accepted an unequal battle and at a time when the ammunition was already running out, he asked the command to launch an airstrike at his coordinates.
Western media, delighted with the actions of Alexander Prokhorenko, called him “Russian Rambo.” However, some Russians found the parallel with the Hollywood character offensive. For them, he is a Hero of Russia, who gave his life serving his Motherland.
However, no matter what the senior lieutenant is called, his words “I call fire upon myself” have become a symbol of selflessness not only in our country, but throughout the world.
One against 200
June 3, 2016. Captain Marat Akhmetshin, according to his father, carried out a combat mission near Palmyra - apparently, he acted as a military instructor. At the time of the attack by militants of the Islamic State terrorist group banned in Russia, the serviceman found himself alone against 200 people.
The terrorists have tanks and armored personnel carriers, Akhmetshin has grenades and four guns. But this did not stop the captain from giving battle and knocking out several pieces of equipment.
As a result of the collision, the soldier received several fatal wounds, but when help arrived, he was still alive. In his hands was a grenade without a pin, which Akhmetshin would certainly have used if the ISIS fighters had approached.
The captain's feat remained a mystery for a long time. His funeral was held in secrecy on June 6. According to the official version voiced to the family, he “died while performing a combat mission as part of a military contingent in Syria.”
However, on June 23, the Russian President awarded Akhmetshin the title of Hero of Russia “for courage and heroism in performing special tasks.” And only six months after this, scant details of what happened to the captain became known to the media.
16 warriors in the field
May 2017. By a closed presidential decree, four soldiers from the Special Forces group were awarded the title of Hero of Russia. Their positions and call signs are unknown, only names and ranks: Daniil, Evgeniy, Roman and Vyacheslav - two lieutenant colonels and two captains.
Some time ago, they and 12 other people fought against several hundred militants. The group received the task of moving to the region of Aleppo province, from where information was received about the increasing attacks of Jabhat al-Nusra (an organization banned in Russia - editor's note) on the defensive positions of government forces. She was tasked with conducting reconnaissance and identifying the coordinates of areas where enemy equipment and manpower were concentrated.
During the operation, the Russian military was suddenly attacked by militants. The terrorists fired at them from Grad launchers, cannons, mortars and even tanks. Due to the confusion, the Syrian troops retreated, leaving the special forces group alone in the forward positions.
There were about three hundred attackers. All of them, as it turned out later, were well equipped. On the first day of defense, the Russians repulsed four terrorist attacks, destroying a tank, a suicide car with a covering bulldozer, and a Zu-23 anti-aircraft gun on the vehicle.
In total, the group held out for more than a day until government troops arrived. Thus, Russian military personnel retained possession of strategically important heights and may have saved dozens of Syrian army soldiers. It is not for nothing that at the presentation of the award the president wrote in his own hand: “I will present it personally.”
“This is for the boys!”
February 3, 2018. Guard Major Roman Filipov flew over the Idlib de-escalation zone. Near the city of Serakib, his Su-25SM was shot down by a shot from a portable anti-aircraft missile system - presumably a Soviet Igla or an American Stinger.
After unsuccessful attempts to keep the plane in the air, the pilot decided to eject. Upon landing, Filipov found himself surrounded by militants: judging by the terrorists’ records, there were at least ten of them. Taking a position behind a boulder, the guard major fired back at the attackers with his only weapon, a Stechkin pistol, and was wounded. In a cruel irony, the pilot's second magazine jammed halfway, which is why he was short of several much-needed rounds.
When the militants got very close, Roman Filipov, hoping to catch several jihadists, blew himself up with a grenade. In the video filmed by the militants, he can clearly be heard shouting: “This is for the boys!”
In a retaliatory high-precision strike, the Russian military killed three dozen militants in the square where the plane crashed. A few days later, the guard major was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
Know ours
It is hardly possible to list all the feats accomplished by our guys in Syria. The number of Heroes of Russia who received this title for their actions in the Arab Republic has already exceeded two dozen. Some of them received the award posthumously, like the same Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Peshkov, whose plane was shot down by a Turkish fighter, or Ryafagat Khabibullin, who trained pilots for the Syrian operation and died in a helicopter crash near Palmyra.
Someone, like another gunner, Corporal Denis Portnyagin, who, together with his group, held out in an unequal battle, was lucky to survive.
Of course, there are many representatives of “high offices” among the Heroes. But even more are ordinary soldiers who daily carried out their duty thousands of kilometers from their homeland, risking their own lives. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of them.
And let no one have the right to rank specific actions of the military according to the degree of heroism. But every Russian can confidently call the liberation of the country from terrorists the main feat of his compatriots in Syria.
It was thanks to soldiers and officers from Russia, ordinary pilots, instructors and sappers that the republic, which was on the verge of collapse just a few years ago, got a chance to move on to peaceful restoration.
It was thanks to them that the terrorist threat did not spread throughout the world and was destroyed almost in its infancy.
MURMANSK, September 30 - RIA Novosti. The war in Syria seems very far away - on TV screens and newspaper pages it looks not so bloody and almost not scary at all. But the shells of this war, although they explode far from Russian borders, echo in our homes with the echo of grief and loss.
"If Russia had not intervened." The VKS have been conducting operations in Syria for a year now.Russia managed to carry out a number of operational military tasks in Syria, inflict significant damage on the terrorists’ infrastructure, and create a good foundation for the Syrian army to launch a counteroffensive in a number of key areas.And yet, the year that has passed since Russia decided to take part in the military operation in Syria has brought us not only losses. It became a lesson in courage for all Russians and inscribed in the history of our country the names of new heroes, of whom we will not only mourn, but of whom we can and will be proud. Loyalty to word and deed, honor and courage, understanding of duty and responsibility - these qualities were characteristic not only of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Today, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren give their lives performing military duty and fighting terrorism. Now they are becoming an example for new generations - an example of loyalty to the given word, the chosen path, the given oath and military duty.
Oleg Peshkov's last business trip
A native of the village of Koshikha, Altai Territory, Oleg Peshkov was at the controls of the same SU-24 aircraft that was shot down by an air-to-air missile from a Turkish F-16 over Syrian territory and crashed in Syria 4 kilometers from the border with Turkey. Pilot Peshkov was shot from the ground by militants during an ejection in territory controlled by Syrian Turkmens. Doctors managed to save his navigator Konstantin Murakhtin. Marine Alexander Pozynich took part in the operation to rescue the crew, but he also ended up on the list of dead. The pilot was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
The Peshkov family learned from the news that a Russian Su-24M bomber was shot down in Syria. Oleg Peshkov was remembered in different parts of the country - by relatives and colleagues, friends and those whom fate brought together at least once with the pilot. “He loved the sky very much, his profession, the Russian man... The concept of “officer’s honor” was not an empty phrase for him,” recalls Peshkov’s colleague Sergei Vetrov. There were never military personnel in Oleg Peshkov's family - his father worked on the May 1 collective farm as a mechanic, and his mother worked as an accountant in the district social services department. But, according to his younger brother, Pavel, Oleg dreamed of being a military pilot since childhood and devoted his whole life to this profession.
The pilot’s memory was immortalized in Yekaterinburg - he studied in this city. Now his bas-relief is installed here. Another bust is located in the military unit of the Belogorsky district of the Amur region, where the hero of Russia served for seven years. The author of the sketch admitted that the work was responsible - it was necessary to convey not only facial features, but also character. “From a young age, he was capable of action. In all the photographs he has a clear look, he is so firmly on his feet, confident,” notes the author of the sketch, Nikolai Nevedomsky.
The local history museum in Barnaul decided to dedicate part of the exhibition to the heroically deceased fellow countryman. For this, the Peshkov family gave the museum workers a flight tablet, photographs and other personal belongings of Oleg Anatolyevich. In the capital of the Altai Territory, a memorial plaque dedicated to the heroes of Russia, natives of Altai, who died in the line of military duty in local conflicts, was solemnly unveiled.
Pilots Oleg Peshkov (posthumously) and Konstantin Murakhtin were also solemnly awarded orders and medals of the Syrian Arab Republic.
A memorial plaque also appeared in the village of Kosikha near Barnaul, where Peshkov was born and raised. The school in the Lipetsk region, where the hero’s children study today, and where he himself spoke on courage lessons more than once, was named after the pilot. Students of the Altai boarding school with initial flight training will receive a scholarship named after Peshkov.
At the Suvorov Military School in Yekaterinburg, the name of Oleg Peshkov, a 1987 graduate, is planned to be permanently included in the list of personnel. This means that here he will have a separate bed, on it - a Suvorov cap and a sign describing the feat. And at every evening roll call the name of Oleg Peshkov will be heard.
The deceased was 45 years old.
Senior Lieutenant Prokhorenko: I call fire on myself
The message about the death of 25-year-old Russian special forces officer Senior Lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko came in March of this year. He died while directing airstrikes against terrorists near Palmyra. Prokhorenko drew fire on himself when he was discovered and surrounded by militants. For his courage and heroism, Prokhorenko was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
Not only his fellow countrymen remember and are proud of the hero and his feat. The school where he studied in his native village is named after Alexander Prokhorenko. There is a bust of the fallen officer in front of the school building, and a memorial plaque on the wall. “Your school bears the name not of a book hero, but of a person who grew up with you, you knew him and can rightfully be proud of him. Be worthy of his memory,” actor Sergei Bezrukov told the students at the ceremony.
The school director, Sergei Danshov, admitted that the village residents are proud that the school is named after Prokhorenko. “We live without him, but with the memory of him... we talk about him... literally in every lesson, about what his feat means for us Orenburg residents, the residents of Russia in general,” Danshov told RIA Novosti.
One of the streets in Orenburg is also named in honor of Alexander Prokhorenko. A memorial plaque in honor of the hero was installed on the barracks building where he lived.
They decided to perpetuate the memory of the deceased officer in Chechnya - at the beginning of September, a street located in the Leninsky district of Grozny was renamed in his honor.
But the main memory of the deceased will remain in the family of Prokhorenko himself - 4 months after his death, the widow Alexandra gave birth to a daughter, Violetta.
Gratitude from France
The highest state award - the star of the Hero of Russia - became the main, but not the only one for the Prokhorenko family. The hero received an unexpected and symbolic gift from France. Several French families, as a sign of gratitude and support, decided to give the relatives of the deceased pilot awards that were kept in their families as heirlooms. Micheline and Jean-Claude Maget gave the officer's parents, Alexander and Natalya Prokhorenko, as well as his brother Ivan, the Order of the Legion of Honor and the Military Cross with a Palm Branch, which were kept in their family.
Jean-Claude Maget said that he learned about the feat of the Russian serviceman, who caused fire on himself, from the Internet; this was not reported in the French media. “This man died a hero, and we are very proud of him. We want to present you with our family awards. Of course, this, one might say, does not have much official significance, it is a personal gesture,” the Frenchman said during the awards ceremony.
In addition, the Mage family gave the parents of the deceased officer commemorative medals from the city of Flamersant, which read: “To the parents of a soldier of the armed forces who died a hero,” as well as another Order of the Legion of Honor from another French citizen, Daniel Couture.
Another family, Flock, also donated relics kept in the family to the family of a Russian officer. “I give my father’s awards - this is the Order of the Legion of Honor, and other orders and medals - to the family of the hero Alexander Prokhorenko. When I learned about his feat, I immediately thought about my father - he also fought, was also very young, but he was lucky "to stay alive. I'm doing this in order to honor the memory of a hero who accomplished a feat in the fight against terrorism that was not even national, but world-class," said Jean-Paul Flock.
He admitted that his decision to transfer the orders was also influenced by the thought that “the Russians paid a very high price in the fight against Nazism.” Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked the French for the unexpected and touching gesture and called them “the best ambassadors of the French people.”
Erygin and Zhuravlev: died while performing combat missions
Anton Yerygin this spring, together with other colleagues, came under gunfire from militants while escorting vehicles from the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in the Syrian province of Homs. Anton was quickly taken to the hospital, where Russian military doctors fought for his life for two days, but were unable to save him. He was buried with military honors on May 12 at the cemetery in the village of Chertovitsy near Voronezh. For the courage and courage shown during the performance of a combat mission, Anton Erygin was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage.
Residents of the village where Anton was born came up with a proposal to perpetuate the memory of their heroic countryman, and the authorities have already decided to name one of the streets in Chertovitsy in honor of Anton Yerygin.
In addition, the city commission for cultural heritage decided to install a memorial plaque in the foyer of Lyceum No. 8 in Voronezh, where Erygin studied. The hero's name will also appear on the list at the monument to the fallen Voronezh internationalist soldiers.
Russian officer Fedor Zhuravlev died on November 9, 2015 while performing a combat mission to coordinate airstrikes by long-range strategic aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces against terrorist formations in Syria. By decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin dated December 8, 2015, Captain Zhuravlev was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, posthumously. The officer, who died in the line of military duty at the age of 27, was buried in the Bryansk region on November 25 last year.
© Photo: provided by the press service of the government of the Bryansk region
© Photo: provided by the press service of the government of the Bryansk region
A memorial plaque in honor of the deceased hero has already been unveiled on the school building where he studied in the village of Paltso, Bryansk region, and the school itself now bears his name.
Dolgin and Khabibullin: the last attack of ace pilots
Another memorial plaque appeared on the wall of a school in the village of Sokolovy in memory of its student Evgeniy Dolgin. Pilots Evgeny Dolgin and Ryafagat Khabibullin died in Syria on July 8, repelling a terrorist attack near Palmyra.
As the Ministry of Defense later said, on that day a large detachment of Islamic State militants attacked the positions of Syrian troops east of Palmyra. Having broken through the defenses, the terrorists were able to capture the dominant heights. “At this time, Khabibullin and Dolgin were flying over a Syrian Mi-25 helicopter. The crew commander, Khabibullin, decided to attack the terrorists. The terrorists’ attack was thwarted by the competent actions of the Russian crew,” this is how the feat of the Russian pilots is described in a few words.
In the village of Vyazovy Gai, Ulyanovsk region, his native, ace pilot Ryafagat Khabibullin, is remembered as a kind and modest man who did not like to talk about his exploits and the military operations in which he participated. But today, not only his fellow countrymen and colleagues know about his feat and are proud of him.
Events in memory of the heroically deceased pilot, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the Russian Aerospace Forces operation in Syria, will be held throughout the Ulyanovsk region. And on October 3, the opening of a memorial bas-relief in the village of Vyazovy Gai is planned.
A memorial sign with the name of Ryafagat Khabibullin was previously installed in the regional center - the village of Staraya Kulatka, next to the monument to soldiers who died in Chechnya and Afghanistan.
In the local historical and local history museum named after. HA. Ablyazov organized an exhibition dedicated to the ace pilot. Among its exhibits are Khabibullin’s personal belongings, which were donated by his widow for the exhibition.
Local authorities are preparing documents to rename a street in the village of Vyazovy Gai in honor of the deceased pilot. It is assumed that this will be the street in front of the house where Khabibullin lived. Now it is called Komsomolskaya. A local school will also be named after the pilot. As RIA Novosti reported, the administration of the Starokulatsky district plans to resolve the issue of renaming the street and school in November of this year.
The government of the Ulyanovsk region reported that they want to award Ryafagat Khabibullin the title of honorary citizen of the region. And in memory of Khibibullin, a football tournament will be held in the village. The villagers hope that military pilots, friends and colleagues of Ryafagat will come here to honor the memory of the hero.
Ryafagat Khabibullin was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (with swords), two Orders of Courage, the Order of Military Merit and the Order of Courage (Ulyanovsk Region).
Evgeny Dolgin was a native of the Saratov region, and recently lived in the Pskov region. The deceased pilot was buried in a cemetery in his home village of Sokolovy in the Saratov region. On September 3, a memorial plaque was unveiled on the walls of his home school in the village of Sokolovy. The idea of installing a memorial plaque with the name of the deceased pilot on July 14 at a meeting with the acting. The regional minister - chairman of the committee of public relations and national policy, Artur Zabbarov, was proposed by Dolgin's fellow villagers, representatives of public organizations, as well as the leadership of the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which the serviceman graduated.
In addition, on August 12, a permanent exhibition dedicated to Dolgin and made up of his personal belongings and photographs, which were donated to the museum by the serviceman’s family, opened in the Saratov historical and ethnographic complex “Falcon Mountain” in Victory Park.
Shirokopoyas, Shevchenko, Shelamov. Remember everyone by name
Junior Sergeant Shirokopoyas was wounded in the first half of May in the province of Aleppo. Military doctors promptly provided medical assistance, and he was taken to a military clinical hospital in Moscow by a special plane of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Russian military department said in a statement that the best doctors at the Main Military Clinical Hospital fought for Mikhail’s life. N.N. Burdenko, but the wound turned out to be incompatible with life. The soldier was posthumously presented with the Order of Courage.
35-year-old Mikhail was buried in Seryshevo, Amur Region, on June 11 with military honors. The junior sergeant is survived by his wife, 13-year-old daughter, parents and sister.
In the park near the regional museum of local history on the Alley of Memory, where photographs of Amur residents - Heroes of the Soviet Union, those who died in Chechnya and Afghanistan appeared at different times, at the request of the command of the 35th Army, a memorial plaque with a portrait of Shirokopyas was installed.
The death of private Nikita Shevchenko in the Syrian province of Aleppo became known on July 22. According to the official statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Shevchenko was driving a car escorting a convoy with food and water for local residents. At the entrance to the village, an improvised explosive device planted by militants went off next to the car. Doctors fought for the life of the seriously wounded Shevchenko, but they could not save him.
Nikita Shevchenko was buried in her homeland - in Birobidzhan. As a local school teacher said, many people came to Nikita’s funeral - not only relatives and those who knew him personally, but also residents of the city. Nikita Shevchenko was nominated for a state award posthumously.
According to the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense, on August 1, in the province of Idlib, a Russian military transport helicopter Mi-8 was shot down as a result of shelling from the ground. He was returning to Khmeimim airbase after delivering humanitarian aid to the city of Aleppo. On board the helicopter were three crew members and two officers from the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria. According to preliminary data, all of them died. Among the dead was a 29-year-old graduate of the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, Senior Lieutenant Oleg Shelamov, who was born in the city of Torzhok, Tver Region and graduated from secondary school No. 5 there.
Cases of deaths of Russian military personnel during the Aerospace Forces operation in SyriaOn September 30, 2015, at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia began carrying out airstrikes against terrorist targets in Syria. In March 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to withdraw most of the Russian Aerospace Forces group due to the successful completion of tasks.But, probably, the most important memorable gift for Alexander’s orphaned family was made by entrepreneurs from Yalta. Having learned that Alexander wanted to someday move his family to Crimea, they helped the hero’s relatives fulfill his dream: they gave his widow and child an apartment in the village of Gurzuf.
“This is a modest contribution from Crimeans and Yalta residents in particular to reward the hero. The apartment is located in a new building under construction in Gurzuf,” explained the Yalta administration.
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