“The pilot died in a fight with the terrorists,” the statement said, adding that preliminary information showed that the plane was downed by use of a man-portable anti-aircraft missile system. When conducting a fight with terrorists, the pilot died," the Defense Ministry said.According to the ministry, Russia and Turkey, peace guarantor in Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone , are taking all possible efforts to return the body of the killed pilot.During the two-years long military operation in Syria, Russia lost four aircraft and four helicopters.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that unidentified rebel factions have shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-25 jet over the Idlib Governorate, near Maarrat al-Nu'man, also killing its pilot. The pilot had escaped with his parachute but was killed on the ground while he fought with a pistol to evade capture. No groups claim responsibility. Russia's Ministry of Defence corroborates this version of events.