 The major managed to shoot down one Focke-Wulf and knock out a second.When noticing a new pair of German fighters appear trying to raid the withdrawing Soviet troops, Bendeliani turned around and moved to engage those, downing both enemy aircraft.However, when he was about to make another combat turn, the Russian pair came under heavy fire from the remaining Focke-Wulf quartet in pursuit, and Bendeliani got mortally wounded.