The story of the brave border guard “Hudson”, who shot down two enemy aircraft SU-25
Until February 24, 2022, the border guard under the pseudonym “Hudson” served in the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky, and from the first days of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation went to the zone of active hostilities to repel armed aggression enemy.
At one time, the soldier served in the Ukrainian peacekeeping contingent in Iraq, so he was sure that his experience would be useful.
“Hudson” was trained as an operator of an anti-aircraft missile complex and quickly mastered the Stinger PZRK — it was from it that the border guard “intercepted” two enemy SU-25 aircraft. This happened when his unit held the defense of a section in the Bakhmut direction. The enemy attacked positions from different sides, used the terrain to his advantage. Hudson made many attempts to shoot down the enemy plane: changed positions, lay disguised for hours, waiting for the right moment, even tried to do it from a construction crane.
“The enemy counted on both his capabilities and ours. Their planes were very careful. And our positions did not always allow us to get closer. A lot of the missiles went into heat traps,” Hudson recalls.
That day, the distance was also not in favor of the Ukrainian military, but there was no other position. Everything happened very quickly. He was in position with a partner. A fighter was spotted firing a missile and trying to turn back quickly. Hudson took aim, fired, and within minutes received confirmation that the enemy fighter had been shot down.
“At first I couldn't even believe it had succeeded... After so many attempts, but at the same time I realized, since it is possible, we must continue!” — recalls Hudson.
The second downed aircraft on the account of the “Hudson” was again the SU-25. Then the plane suddenly flew out of the clouds, not from the side that was expected, so we had to react quickly. “Hudson” quickly oriented itself, made a launch. The fighter launched the missiles and began to perform a U-turn, dropping thermal “cheats”, but this did not save him. After the plane disappeared from sight, Hudson heard a loud rumble. After a short period of time, Ukrainian defenders received confirmation that the Su-25 was shot down and “landed negatively”.
The military firmly believes in Victory: “God forbid we win and we will build our country, because we have everything for it: opportunities, resources and extraordinary people.”
The brave border guard received many awards, including the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree, medals “Defender of Ukraine” and “For courage in guarding the state border of Ukraine”.
But, as Hudson himself says: “The best reward for me is respect for my brothers, to remain a worthy warrior in their eyes.”
State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
