Body of Su-25 pilot killed in Syria transferred to Russia
The body of the Russian pilot Roman Filipov, who was shot down in Syria, was handed over to Russia “through Turkish mediation” by one of the “revolutionary groups”, reported the Syrian newspaper Enab Baladias with reference to a statement made by militants from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Al-Nusra Front). The pilot’s body was “stolen” by one of the rebel groups, stated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s. The story was relayed by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors the jihadists’ publications.
A source in the Syrian opposition familiar with the situation told RBC news agency that the body had been handed over to Turkey by militants from Faylaq al-Sham, who in turn acquired the body from Jaysh al-Nasr militants. The latter were in the close vicinity of the place where the Su-25 was shot down. Jaysh al-Nasr was the first of numerous armed groups of the Free Syrian Army to publish videos of the downed Russian assault jet on their YouTube channel.
Both groups belong to the moderate armed opposition, and their representatives took part in the Syrian peaceful settlement talks in Astana mediated by Russia, Turkey and Iran.
A representative of Jaysh al-Nasr told the Turkish news outlet Anadolu that this group shot down a certain military plane in the Idlib province on February 3. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham later also claimed responsibility for downing the plane.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that it had been possible to bring the pilot’s body back home, thanks to Russian military intelligence “in collaboration with Turkish colleagues”. RBC reported with reference to a source from a private reconnaissance and analysis company that Turkey had acted as an intermediary in the transfer of the body.
Roman Filipov will be buried in Voronezh on February 8, and has been posthumously awarded the title “Hero of Russia” by President Vladimir Putin.