A marble monument to Aleksandr Prokhorenko, a Russian hero, who died in Syria, was put up in Italy. Just a few hours ago, in one of Tuscany's cities, in front of a huge crowd, a monument to the 25-year-old senior lieutenant was put up. When he was in the ISIS terrorists' home front, he spent a week correcting Russian VKS fire and gave up his life for peace. Our correspondent, Asya Emelyanova went to the ceremony in Tuscany.
Park of Honor is the right place for this event. Honor was the most important thing in Aleksandr Prokhorenko's life, and he met his death as a true officer. We don't have details of his last operation, his last minutes. But the French sculptor almost saw it. In a second, the lieutenant will fall, his gun is already on the ground.
Aleksandr Prokhorenko is looking up, our aviation is up there, in the sky. He summoned them, giving them his own coordinates, when he realized he couldn't get away. He's looking at the helicopters, the Russian helicopters. They're about to drop their bombs, and he will die. He was only 25.
Elite special forces, a special operation. They needed precision, when freeing Palmyra. This means passing on the coordinates from the enemy's home front. Aleksandr spent a week, correcting our aviation's fire. He was caught when the storming began, and the city would be freed. He died with the enemy.
The fire he called upon himself destroyed many ISIS militants. This monument is for the man, who died in a fight against a grand evil, terrorism. We're a small town, but sometimes we do grand things. These words by the Vagli Sotto mayor were heartfelt, he teared up. He cries during the Russian anthem. This is an example for the whole world.
A Russian soldier preferred to die from the hands of his own people, so the enemy couldn't get to him. This way the terrorists wouldn't get his documents. This boy is a hero, he died for Russia and for the entire world. The entire city is at the monument's opening. How come that here, in Tuscany hills, where there's no cell reception, they know the name of the Russian officer? They chose the best spot in the park for the monument.
Russia's tricolor on the flagpole is seen from everywhere. And it's not just for the opening, it will always be here. This is to honor the Russian hero, whose memory was eternalized in Italy today. This small town, almost a village, is on every network in the world today. Foreign media is shocked by the political bravery of the mayor and the locals. They don't see this act as heroic. This is our mission of honor, this is why the park is called Park of Honor.
