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- Man of high medals: how a 23-year-old paratrooper became a recipient of four military awards
Man of high medals: how a 23-year-old paratrooper became a recipient of four military awards
The combat path of paratrooper Ruslan Silakov is an example of courage and dedication on the front line. At the age of 23, an airborne fighter in a combat vehicle reached the encircled assault group and took out his wounded comrades under enemy fire. In another battle, he delivered ammunition directly through minefields, narrowly avoiding an ambush. During his two years of service, Silakov received two Orders of Courage, the St. George Cross of the fourth degree and the Suvorov Medal. About the military path of the soldier, who is now preparing to become an officer of the Airborne Troops, is in the Izvestia article.
Take it out under fire
The battle, for which Ruslan Silakov received his first Order of Courage, began as standard. The task is to bring an assault group to a populated area on a BMD—4 and return to the temporary deployment point. However, upon returning, it turned out that the group was surrounded, and evacuation was necessary.
— We needed a driver who knows this route well. Naturally, our crew received the order," recalls the paratrooper. — Then, under the fire cover of other vehicles, we began to enter the "settlement". Everything was done, of course, very quickly. The enemy was firing heavily. But we still flew to the right place. While the gunner and the commander were firing at the enemy, I got out of the combat vehicle and began to pick up the wounded. Unfortunately, two guys had already died at that time, and three more were injured. Only the group commander was unharmed. We got everyone out.
Ruslan Silakov
He received the second Order for an almost identical battle. Ruslan's crew had to deliver ammunition and food for their company through minefields. They moved out. We walked some distance and were ambushed. We had to leave without any cover, but we managed to do it. Ammunition and food were delivered on time.
— Back then, the guys needed this cargo like air. That's probably why the command praised what we did so highly. He was awarded the second Order of Courage," Ruslan says.
His unit was on the special operation in the very first days. The unit in which Ruslan served came from the Crimea in the direction of Kherson. It was in this city that he took his first fight, which remained in his memory forever.
A Russian column approached a shopping mall in the city. At some point, a grenade launcher was fired from the window of a neighboring house towards Ruslan's car. The hit had to hit the body of the equipment tangentially. Silakov suffered a concussion. But the paratroopers did not come out of the battle. In response to an enemy shot, the crew opened fire from an on-board cannon. Then stormtroopers entered the building and suppressed the enemy's firing point.
— Everything happened quickly, and there was no time for emotions. But then I got a little overwhelmed, as they say. No, I didn't feel any great fear. I just haven't felt anything like this before," Ruslan shares.
The regiment's commander, the now-deceased Hero of Russia Colonel Sukuyev, was cheering the fighters on at that moment.
"He said: "I see you're young. But you have excitement in your eyes, and I'm with you, so everything will be fine with us." And all the way he was encouraging with such words. Even after the concussion, he went down the hatch and asked how my condition was. I showed him the "class", and he said, "Let's go on." I replied: "That's right, comrade Colonel," the fighter said in detail, adding that his unit gradually moved forward and took up positions at the Kherson airport. So a special military operation began for the young paratrooper.
First awards for injuries
Even before earning his Orders of Courage, Ruslan was wounded twice. He received his first wound in the battles near Mykolaiv, when he was correcting artillery fire. A splinter hit his leg. Now the young man remembers: at that moment, you don't feel or understand what happened until the comrades who are nearby say, "You're bleeding." And only then do you become aware of the pain.
The recovery took about two months.
— After that, the battalion commander came to me and asked: "Are you ready to go back?" I say, "Of course I will." They awarded him the St. George's Cross of the fourth degree for that battle," Ruslan recalls.
Later, during the Ukrainian Armed Forces counteroffensive in 2023, he received a second wound. And the command considered it right to award him the Suvorov medal.
Airborne forces as a profession
It was no coincidence that Ruslan Silakov joined the Airborne Forces. From a young age, I dreamed of serving in the "winged infantry." After high school, he graduated from college, becoming a dog handler, and then went into military service. He was sent to Novorossiysk, to the airborne assault battalion, and after a while he signed a contract.
In 2024, he firmly decided to become an officer of the Airborne Forces and went to enroll in the Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne Command School.
— Mom supported this decision. I was very worried about whether it would work out or not. It was really not easy to enroll. An insane number of people have gathered here. The competition is big. We passed the standards, physical training, entrance exams. In addition, since I had no higher education, I had to take the Unified State Exam. Also with everyone. In the end, everything worked out, and now I'm a second—year student," says the young man.
Fellow students who entered the college immediately after school appreciate Ruslan's combat experience. They constantly ask questions about the special military operation, what tasks he performed there, and ask him to share his experience.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
