MOSCOW. Feb 5 (Interfax) - It was possible to down Russia's Sukhoi Su-25 attack plane with a man-portable anti-aircraft missile complex if the plane was flying at an altitude of less than five kilometers, State Duma deputy, Hero of the Soviet Union, and 1st class military pilot Lt. Gen. Nikolai Antoshkin told Interfax.
"The Su-25 is combat resistant; everything depends on where the missile hit. A MANPADS could actually down the plane flying at an altitude of five kilometers or less," Antoshkin said.
He said he used to fly Su-25 planes himself and the jet was able to use flares or active jamming to protect itself from MANPADS.
The information is too scarce to draw any conclusions about this incident, Antoshkin said.
He recalled that a pilot landed his Su-25 in Afghanistan although the plane had just one engine running and lost the landing gear and half a wing.
As to the death of the Su-25 pilot who, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, ejected and died in a fight with the terrorists in Syria, Antoshkin said Russian pilots "do not give in but keep fighting till the end; these are well trained, highly responsible, and patriotic people."