Radiša Zdravković risked his life by confronting the powerful “birds” attacking his Aleksinac and fired two missiles.
Immediately after the beginning of the bombing of Serbia, the 1st and 2nd platoons of the Aleksinac reserve missile air-defense unit were stationed on Mount Kukavica, at a position near the village of Repište.
They were equipped with light air-defense systems, Strela-2M launchers. Sirens were heard on April 24, 1999 at 17:03, along the Leskovac – Vladičin Han – Surdulica direction. Soon a large group of aircraft appeared in the sky, arranged in a 3-3-3 formation, a total of nine planes.
He fired two missiles
Radiša Zdravković risked his life and confronted the powerful “birds” attacking his Aleksinac and fired two missiles from the top of Deja hill. He targeted the rear part, the tail of the aircraft.
Joy sparkled in his eyes. Two precise hits. The first aircraft, hit at 17:20, crashed near the village of Neradovac, close to Vranje. The pilot ejected and was rescued by a NATO special unit.
The second, hit at 17:22, crashed into the ground near Skopje airport. The pilot did not survive.
“It was difficult”
Radiša Zdravković received two medals for bravery and the October Award of Aleksinac. He remained a modest man, a hardworking worker, a good husband and parent.
“On April 24, during the NATO aggression in the afternoon hours, I targeted a larger formation consisting of nine aircraft. The second and third fell toward Vranje… We defended our country the best way we knew how, it was difficult, there was knee-deep snow and high altitudes, because air-defense doctrine required firing from these hills, then changing position, and so we managed in all kinds of ways,” Radiša said in an interview for “Aleksinac.net” a few years ago.
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Source: Kurir; Foto: Aleksinac.net