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August 13, 2012, was a turning point in both the history of the Syrian revolution and the Russian military industry. The Russians had long boosted about their superiority in the aviation industry and regarded the MIG as their best achievements due to its sales that scored high records.
Today in history in 2012, the heroes of the FSA shot down the so-called legend of Russian-made MIG in the city of Muhassan in rural Deir Ezzor. It was the first fighter jet to be brought down in the history of the Syrian revolution.
Colonel Mafid Salman, the pilot whose MIG was hovering overhead in the city of Muhassan, targeting its mosques, and densely populated before it was brought down, had been overwhelmed by arrogance in conjunction with Russian propaganda promoting one of the best model of fighter jets of its industry, turning him into an easy target for the heroes of the FSA, who possessed outdated weaponry at the time, including Kalashnikov, 12 mm and 14.5 mm artillery.
Due to their strong faith, they managed to hit and shot down the jet. The Assad-regime media outlet attempted to cover the news about the shooting down of Russian-made MIG jet in Deir Ezzor. Nevertheless, the reports published by local activists and the pilot confession falsified their claims, leaving the Russian in big dilemma, wondering how a MIG fighter jet could be shot down by people carrying simple weaponry used in medium clashes.
The Russian military industry suffered a setback, mainly after several of its jets were shot down in different Syrian provinces. August 13, 2012, is a memorial day for the Syrian revolution, its heroes and Deir Ezzor city which is awaiting for another moment to rise again and bring back its old days of glory.