World Bulletin / News Desk

A number of public activists are willing to honor a Turkish pilot who shot down the Russian warplane after it violated the country's airspace as a "Hero of the Ukrainian People". 

Crimean Tatar leader and a Ukrainian MP Mustafa Dzhemilev was requested to assist in finding and contacting the pilot. 

"If I had the right, I would honor the Turkish pilot who shot down the Russian Su-24 with the title of 'Hero of Ukrainian People'! He did more to fight the Mordor [Russia] than any of our generals altogether," said Andriy Boechko, one of initiators of the move, in a Facebook post. 

The "Hero of the Ukrainian People" is a non-state title established in 2015 by a group of Ukrainian activists and volunteers. Ultimately the winners of the prize are decided by the votes of the public. In fact the metal used to make the awards is donated by Ukrainians or collected by volunteers.