Superior enemy forces
“The offensive was carried out with the support of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, and was preceded by powerful fire preparation. During the day, the militants managed to penetrate the defenses of government troops to a depth of 12 kilometers, at the front up to 20 kilometers,” the Ministry of Defense reports, clarifying that the clashes took place in the Idlib de-escalation zone.
Russian military personnel accomplished a feat in Syria
According to the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel General Sergei Rudsky, the terrorist offensive was initiated by American intelligence services in order to stop the successfully developing advance of government troops east of Deir ez-Zor, to the garrison of which the Syrian army broke through in early September.
For several hours, Russian police, together with a detachment of the Muali tribe, which had previously joined the truce, repelled attacks from superior enemy forces. The emergency was reported to the commander of the Russian group of troops in the SAR, Colonel General Sergei Surovikin.
The military commander decided to form a military police platoon to clear the blockade. It included units of the Special Operations Forces (SSO), military police staffed by immigrants from the North Caucasus, and Syrian special forces. The group was headed by the deputy head of the Russian center for reconciliation of warring parties, Hero of Russia, Major General Viktor Shulyak.
Fire support for the military personnel was provided by two Su-25 attack aircraft, which struck enemy personnel and armored vehicles from extremely low altitudes. As a result of the attack by Russian troops, the encirclement ring was broken. It was not possible to recapture the territory occupied by the terrorists, however, a platoon of military police and the rest of the military personnel reached the area where government troops were located without losses.
During the relief operation, three special forces soldiers were injured (the severity was not specified). All participants in the battle were nominated for state awards. The onslaught of Jabhat al-Nusra was stopped. “During the day, aviation strikes and artillery fire damaged 187 targets, destroyed about 850 terrorists, 11 tanks, 4 infantry fighting vehicles, 46 pickups, 5 mortars, 20 trucks, 38 weapons depots,” Rudskoy reported.
The successful work of the airborne forces and artillery crews allowed the 5th Syrian Airborne Assault Corps to launch a counteroffensive and almost completely restore the lost position.
Difficult choice
The information provided by the Ministry of Defense provides great food for the analysis of the characteristics of the Russian military presence in Syria. According to the current agreements, four battalions of Russian military police monitor compliance with the truce in four de-escalation zones, performing mainly security functions. From open data it follows that the red berets are armed with small arms, grenade launchers and a number of armored vehicles (in particular, Typhoon and Tiger).
In the absence of heavy weapons, it is extremely difficult to repel massive attacks by militants. Nevertheless, the police were able to hold out without casualties. This indicates either the high combat readiness of the Russians and the skillful organization of defense, or that the militants’ attack on the platoon’s location was not accompanied by the support of tanks and artillery pieces.
The strike group that carried out the operation to relieve the blockade consisted of SOF officers, colleagues who were surrounded by police officers, Syrian special forces and the crew of two Su-25s (although at low altitudes it was much more logical to use helicopters).
The composition of the relief group may indicate that the Russian command is faced with a difficult choice. There probably wasn’t much strength to save the red berets, and that’s why it was necessary to pull together such motley formations. In particular, according to a similar scenario, an operation was organized to rescue the crew of a Su-24M front-line bomber shot down by Turkey on November 24, 2015. Then the Russian military was supported by Hezbollah special forces.
The fact that the military police platoon was surrounded means at least weak intelligence in the de-escalation zone. The Ministry of Defense nods to the American intelligence services, but the bottom line is that we get a miscalculation of either the Syrian army or our military intelligence (if, of course, it operated in the Hama area).
Jabhat al-Nusra's offensive was "large-scale," meaning its preparations could be traced. Placing responsibility on the American intelligence services (probably referring to the CIA, which oversees several gangs in the Syrian Arab Republic) is more reminiscent of an attempt to justify the mistake of government forces or Russian intelligence.
If the situation of the military police platoon, for various reasons, turned out to be truly deplorable, then the incident in the Hama area can, without exaggeration, be called a feat of Russian military personnel, and the rescue operation is unique due to the lack of necessary military equipment. Military police officers and MTR personnel covered themselves with unfading military glory.
For courage and heroism
The display of extraordinary courage and professionalism has always been a hallmark of our army. The operation in Syria was no exception. In the first half of May, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the title of Hero of Russia to four Russian SOF officers who, as part of a group of 16 people, repelled attacks by 300 Jabhat al-Nusra militants for two days. The encirclement became possible due to the chaotic retreat of the Syrian army.
On May 24, in the presence of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Putin personally awarded the special forces. This is not the first time that awards have been given to Russian military personnel who fight both in the sky and on the ground, although there is extremely scant information about the ground operations of the Russian army
Thus, in March, in the St. George Hall of the Kremlin, 21 participants in the operation in Syria received state awards: four servicemen received the title of Hero of Russia, 17 people received the Order of St. George, Courage, “For Merit to the Fatherland,” and “For Military Merit.” It is possible that the Russians awarded by the head of state, like their colleagues from the MTR, became victims of the unprofessionalism of the Syrian army.
The history of exploits is not always made public. The Russian state is not often the first to report on the heroism and dedication of our military personnel who died in battle with terrorists. This was the case with the message about the death of special forces soldier Alexander Prokhorenko, who caused fire on himself during the liberation of Palmyra on March 17, 2016. The lieutenant's feat was first reported by Western media, and only then did it find a response in Russia.
Few people know the feat of the 35-year-old chief of intelligence at the headquarters of a howitzer self-propelled artillery division, Captain Marat Akhmetshin. The funeral and posthumous awards took place in secrecy on June 6 and August 31, 2016. A native of Kazan died near Palmyra; his family received notification of his death on June 3, 2016.
On June 23, 2016, the President of the Russian Federation issued a decree awarding Akhmetshin the title of Hero of Russia “for courage and heroism in performing special tasks.” The circumstances of the feat are classified, but the general picture of the battle in January 2017 was described by the father of the deceased captain. From his words it follows that Akhmetshin and other servicemen confronted 200 militants.
“When help arrived and the attack was repulsed, he was found still alive. He, all wounded, held a grenade without a pin in his hand, and the earth around him was burning. Apparently, he wanted to blow himself up if ISIS approached. Our people took the grenade and threw it to the side so that it exploded. Only then did the son lose consciousness and fall face first into the fire,” said the father of the Russian hero.
Presumably, at the end of December 2016 or the beginning of January 2017, by a closed decree of the President of the Russian Federation, MTR officers who eliminated the organizers of the shelling of a Russian field hospital in Aleppo were awarded. On December 5, 2016, medics - sergeants Nadezhda Durachenko and Galina Mikhailova - became victims of militant shells. In total, the Syrian campaign took the lives of 34 Russians.
It lasted almost two years and ended with the almost complete destruction of terrorists on the territory of the Arab Republic. It is quite possible that it would have taken much longer to achieve the assigned tasks if not for the dedication of Russian military personnel, who even today maintain order in the Middle East.
"Russian Rambo"
March 17, 2016. Senior Lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko, who spent a week alone correcting the fire of Russian aviation in the very rear of the enemy in the Palmyra area, was surrounded by terrorists. The militants spotted his hiding place and tried to take the military man prisoner. But he accepted an unequal battle and at a time when the ammunition was already running out, he asked the command to launch an airstrike at his coordinates.
Western media, delighted with the actions of Alexander Prokhorenko, called him “Russian Rambo.” However, some Russians found the parallel with the Hollywood character offensive. For them, he is a Hero of Russia who gave his life serving his Motherland.
However, no matter what the senior lieutenant is called, his words “I call fire upon myself” have become a symbol of selflessness not only in our country, but throughout the world.
One against 200 on June 3, 2016. Captain Marat Akhmetshin, according to his father, carried out a combat mission near Palmyra - apparently, he acted as a military instructor. At the time of the attack by militants of the Islamic State terrorist group banned in Russia, the serviceman found himself alone against 200 people.
The terrorists have tanks and armored personnel carriers, Akhmetshin has grenades and four guns. But this did not stop the captain from giving battle and knocking out several pieces of equipment.
As a result of the collision, the soldier received several fatal wounds, but when help arrived, he was still alive. In his hands was a grenade without a pin, which Akhmetshin would certainly have used if the ISIS fighters had approached.
The captain's feat remained a mystery for a long time. His funeral was held in secrecy on June 6. According to the official version voiced to the family, he “died while performing a combat mission as part of a military contingent in Syria.”
However, on June 23, the Russian President awarded Akhmetshin the title of Hero of Russia “for courage and heroism in performing special tasks.” And only six months after this, scant details of what happened to the captain became known to the media.
16 warriors in the field
May 2017. By a closed presidential decree, four soldiers from the Special Forces group were awarded the title of Hero of Russia. Their positions and call signs are unknown, only names and ranks: Daniil, Evgeniy, Roman and Vyacheslav - two lieutenant colonels and two captains.
Some time ago, they and 12 other people fought against several hundred militants. The group received the task of moving to the region of Aleppo province, from where information was received about the increasing attacks of Jabhat al-Nusra (an organization banned in Russia - editor's note) on the defensive positions of government forces. She was tasked with conducting reconnaissance and identifying the coordinates of areas where enemy equipment and manpower were concentrated.
During the operation, the Russian military was suddenly attacked by militants. The terrorists fired at them from Grad launchers, cannons, mortars and even tanks. Due to the confusion, the Syrian troops retreated, leaving the special forces group alone in the forward positions.
There were about three hundred attackers. All of them, as it turned out later, were well equipped. On the first day of defense, the Russians repulsed four terrorist attacks, destroying a tank, a suicide car with a covering bulldozer, and a Zu-23 anti-aircraft gun on the vehicle.
In total, the group held out for more than a day until government troops arrived. Thus, Russian military personnel retained possession of strategically important heights and may have saved dozens of Syrian army soldiers. It is not for nothing that at the presentation of the award the president wrote in his own hand: “I will present it personally.”
“This is for the boys!”
February 3, 2018. Guard Major Roman Filipov flew over the Idlib de-escalation zone. Near the city of Serakib, his Su-25SM was shot down by a shot from a portable anti-aircraft missile system - presumably a Soviet Igla or an American Stinger.
After unsuccessful attempts to keep the plane in the air, the pilot decided to eject. Upon landing, Filipov found himself surrounded by militants: judging by the terrorists’ records, there were at least ten of them. Having taken a position behind a boulder, the guard major fired back at the attackers with his only weapon - a Stechkin pistol - and was wounded. In a cruel irony, the pilot's second magazine jammed halfway, which is why he was short of several much-needed rounds.
When the militants got very close, Roman Filipov, hoping to catch several jihadists, blew himself up with a grenade. In the video filmed by the militants, he can clearly be heard shouting: “This is for the boys!”
In a retaliatory high-precision strike, the Russian military killed three dozen militants in the square where the plane crashed. A few days later, the guard major was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
Know ours
It is hardly possible to list all the feats accomplished by our guys in Syria. The number of Heroes of Russia who received this title for their actions in the Arab Republic has already exceeded two dozen. Some of them received the award posthumously, like the same Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Peshkov, whose plane was shot down by a Turkish fighter, or Ryafagat Khabibullin, who trained pilots for the Syrian operation and died in a helicopter crash near Palmyra.
Someone, like another gunner, Corporal Denis Portnyagin, who, together with his group, held out in an unequal battle, was lucky to survive.
Of course, there are many representatives of “high offices” among the Heroes. But even more - ordinary soldiers who daily carried out their duty thousands of kilometers from their homeland, risking their own lives. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of them.
And let no one have the right to rank specific actions of the military according to the degree of heroism. But every Russian can confidently call the liberation of the country from terrorists the main feat of his compatriots in Syria.
It was thanks to soldiers and officers from Russia, ordinary pilots, instructors and sappers that the republic, which was on the verge of collapse just a few years ago, got a chance to move on to peaceful restoration.
It was thanks to them that the terrorist threat did not spread throughout the world and was destroyed almost in its infancy.
Our military in Syria accomplished a feat. They held back the terrorists, who were almost 20 times more numerous, for about two days. And they forced them to retreat, ending this battle themselves without losses. Details became known today, May 10. There are few of them, but they are from the participants in the operation themselves, which is strictly classified.
Only names and titles. No call signs, no last names, no details by which the identities of the officers could be established; this is the main condition for interviews with journalists. All four are from the Special Operations Forces, an elite unit of the Russian army, and, judging by their medal bars, all with a rich track record. One of the officers, for example, has the Order of Courage, two medals “For Military Distinction,” and an award “For Military Valor.”
Special Operations Forces are a unique unit. A combination of combat experience, the latest weapons and equipment, fine calculation and dedication. Their strong point is sabotage and reconnaissance operations. They are where the enemy least expects a strike. In Syria, this unit is used for reconnaissance and targeting aircraft.
That day, the officers say, everything was as usual - they secretly reached the front line in the province of Aleppo, gained a foothold, and began transmitting the coordinates of their targets, when they were suddenly attacked by militants.
“Massive artillery shelling of our positions began, Grad installations, artillery, mortars, and tank shelling were used,” the serviceman said.
It was a real firestorm, the military recalls. Due to internal inconsistency in actions, the Syrian units withdrew. Our group commander had a few seconds to make a decision.
“Due to the fact that the terrain and shelter allowed for combat and this area of the terrain was of strategic importance, we took up defensive positions and accepted the battle. We repelled the first attack, and there were three or four more attacks during the day,” the officer said.
“The fire density was high, but, as they say, it’s scary only in the first minutes, and then it becomes a banal routine,” said another serviceman.
16 of our fighters held back the onslaught of about 300 militants for almost two days. Accurate fire destroyed an enemy tank, two infantry fighting vehicles and a so-called “shahid mobile” filled with explosives with a suicide bomber inside.
“An armored bulldozer is ahead, followed by an infantry fighting vehicle loaded with explosives. The operator hit the infantry fighting vehicle with the first missile, the explosion was very strong, and as a result the bulldozer in front was disabled,” the military man said.
Losses among the militants were so serious that after a dozen unsuccessful attacks they retreated. There are no losses among us. After inspecting the battlefield, it turned out that they were terrorists from Jabhat al-Nusra, banned in our country, most likely professional mercenaries.
“They were very carefully equipped, everything was imported - property, all imported medicine, imported clothing, even down to the black military personnel. And the way they behaved on the battlefield showed that they were well prepared,” the officer said.
“GoPro on heads, on helmets. Apparently, reports are submitted somewhere about the work done,” the military man noted.
“We have a good advantage in weapons and well-trained guys who are not afraid. They fought and clearly carried out the tasks assigned by me, only thanks to these factors it turned out that we came out without losses,” the officer said.
After a business trip to Syria, the officers received a short leave, and their dream came true - they attended the Victory Day Parade on Red Square. Vladimir Putin also spoke about the feat of the Russian military these days on May 9 at the Victory Parade in Moscow:
“We feel a bloody, piercing kinship with the generation of heroes and winners, and, addressing them, I will say: you will never be ashamed of us. The Russian, Russian soldier today, as at all times, showing courage and heroism, is ready for any feat, for any sacrifice for the sake of his homeland, for the sake of his people.”
At the Ministry of Defense building on Frunzenskaya Embankment, military personnel laid flowers at the monument to the heroes of the cult film “Officers” - the sculptural composition recreates one of the key scenes dedicated to the continuity of generations of military personnel. Two comrades meet after a long separation. The grandson of one of them, a cadet of the Suvorov Military School, salutes them.
All servicemen of the Special Operations Forces who distinguished themselves in battle in the province of Aleppo were presented with high state awards. The group commander was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
On the presentation of the Ministry of Defense it is written in the president’s hand: “I agree. I’ll deliver it personally.”
Almost every cemetery in our vast country has at least one grave of a soldier who died in Afghanistan. The situation is similar in some other Soviet republics. It’s scary to imagine how many lives that war claimed. According to official data from the leadership of the USSR, about 546 thousand people passed through Afghanistan, and the number of deaths reaches 15 thousand. Tens of thousands of wounded and infected with various diseases, hundreds of missing people... A terrible ten years, but such a confrontation could not have happened without the loss of personnel.
Today there is a war in the Middle East again, this time Syria has become the epicenter of the fighting. I would like to immediately note one fact, which for some reason many do not pay attention to: this country is not so far from Russia and closer than Afghanistan. Another reason to think about whether the criticism against Moscow, which responded to Damascus’ cry for help in the fall of 2015, was fair.
Preventing the spread of Islamism is the task of the whole world. And Russian volunteers considered it their duty to be there now - on the front line. You don’t need to regularly follow the news to understand how well developed a sense of patriotism is in our country today. The atrocities of jihadists who ruthlessly massacred innocent civilians are regularly posted online, signaling the global threat posed by ISIS. No one can calmly watch how terrorists destroy the civilian population of Syria every day, but there are those who, risking their lives, are ready to resist this evil.
Many Russians went to Syria, trying to prevent a bloody war on Russian territory and destroy terrorists on distant borders. Their courage and bravery rightfully evoke admiration: not everyone is ready to leave their home and go to war for the sake of the future of others.
This is not some minor local conflict, but a brutal war involving some of the most dangerous and deadly international extremist organizations. However, the number of militant deaths is in the tens of thousands. Unfortunately, there were some losses in the ranks of our volunteers. According to the latest data, from September the year before last to the present day, the number of deaths has not exceeded 30 people.
Of course, even one interrupted human life cannot be attached to the adverb “little” or the concept of “minor losses.” Every dead soldier is an irreparable loss, both for his family and friends, and for the entire country. Russia has lost real heroes who voluntarily fought for our bright future. However, if we compare this figure with similar indicators of the Afghan war, then there were approximately the same losses every 10 days. The situations are radically different, but the ultimate goal is similar - the desire of Russians to secure the borders of their native country at the cost of their own lives.
The guys who voluntarily went to fight in Syria can and should be considered real heroes. They have already made a huge contribution to the final success, which, apparently, is just around the corner. The Arab Republic is systematically clearing itself of terrorists, the militants are suffering serious losses and are losing sources of income. We will forever remember the exploits of Russian volunteers who heroically fight militants far from their homeland. After all, it is they who today risk their own lives for the successful continuation of ours.
*the organization’s activities are prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation
09:13 17.04.2016
Surrounded by ISIS terrorists (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), a special operations officer drew fire on himself. He destroyed the terrorists, but died himself... In the Western press they called him the Russian Rambo, comparing him with a hero from an American action movie, when one is a warrior against all odds. Brave, fearless, fair. It turned out to be a guy from the Orenburg outback - Alexander Prokhorenko. With an appearance far from the image of a Hollywood superman.
Surrounded by ISIS terrorists (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), a Special Operations Forces officer drew fire on himself. He destroyed the terrorists, but died himself... In the Western press they called him the Russian Rambo, comparing him with a hero from an American action movie, when one, against all odds, is a warrior. Brave, fearless, fair. It turned out to be a guy from the Orenburg outback - Alexander Prokhorenko. With an appearance far from the image of a Hollywood superman. On March 31, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoy, reported on the special operation in Syria. Special Operations Forces officer Alexander Prokhorenko had died two weeks earlier. He never knew what an important role he played in the liberation of Palmyra. The ancient city is located in central Syria. From there, roads open to Damascus, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor. By the beginning of March, more than 4 thousand militants, up to 25 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, over 20 units of cannon and rocket artillery, about 100 ATGM systems, and more than 50 pickup trucks with heavy weapons settled near Palmyra. This is not counting mortars and small arms, trucks filled with explosives, zombified suicide bombers... During the entire operation, Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft attacked exclusively identified terrorist targets. Two rocket launchers According to the military, some objects are well camouflaged by the militants. Not everything is visible from the air. Therefore, scouts and gunners are thrown into the enemy’s lair. For a whole week the ISIS fighters did not know peace. They were bombed so hard that the work of the saboteurs was noticed. The game of cat and mouse has begun. The terrorists threw their best forces at this. Having discovered a Russian officer, they attacked. The way back was cut off by heavy fire. There was nowhere to wait for help. Alexander Prokhorenko found himself in a tight ring of encirclement... “During special operations in Chechnya, we were given two rocket launchers,” recalls Orenburg SOBR special forces soldier Igor Yakovlev (surname changed. - Ed.). “One of them fired green, which meant “our own.” Another gave red in the air. This was already perceived as “alien.” That is, only two signals to attract aviation. Of course, no one wanted to be captured. In the worst case scenario, they shot back to the last bullet. And if the horn ran out, they would engage in hand-to-hand combat. Being captured was considered equal to a death sentence - they did not spare prisoners. It's the same in Syria. I understand the fighter perfectly. ISIS would never have left him alive...From March 7 to March 27, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out about 500 combat missions. More than 2,000 targeted air strikes were carried out against ISIS terrorists. Following a tip from the ground, the planes tore apart the militants' bridgeheads and artillery at all dominant heights. They cut off the terrorists' supply of fuel and ammunition from neighboring Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. On March 23, units of the Syrian army again went on the offensive. Four days later, complete control was established over Palmyra. "We don't know anything!" In Sasha Prokhorenko’s homeland, in the Russian outback (the village of Gorodki, Orenburg region), they only know about the war in distant Syria from television screens. But the villagers perceived the pain of Sasha’s parents, who lost their beloved son, as a personal grief. In a village of 600 residents, everyone knows each other and perfectly remembers the guy who, as a child, played ball with the neighbor kids... To find out about Alexander, we went to Gorodki. The road to the regional center is normal, but to the village it is a bumpy dirt road. For about 10 kilometers it winds between birches and hills. The Cossack village of Gorodki is located at the end of a long grove. - Could you tell me where Prokhorenko’s house is? - we ask the first passerby we come across. “Yes, there he is, on the outskirts,” the man waved his hand. Brick house, silver-painted gate. There is not a soul on the street, not even the dogs bark. We knock on the door. Useless. We want to leave, but suddenly it opens. The owner is a man of few words and immediately invites you into the house. - Come in, since you came from afar. The conversation is unlikely to work out... The room is bright. It feels homely and warm. A photograph of Alexander Prokhorenko is in the most prominent place. Next to the portrait there are icons, a wax candle is burning. Sasha’s mother Natalya Leonidovna is wearing a black scarf and crying all the time. We get a copy of Komsomolskaya Pravda. We show a note about the feat of a Russian officer. The father incredulously takes the newspaper in his hands, nervously flips through it, putting on his glasses. He reads fluently and greedily. “The military reported the death of their son without details, we know nothing,” says Alexander the eldest. - I will only say one thing - this is a grave loss for us... The soul is for God, the heart is for a woman, duty is for the Fatherland, honor is for no one! This is an old Cossack motto. Alexander Prokhorenko Jr. has followed him since childhood. He chose a career as an officer while still a schoolboy. I studied mostly excellently. He was interested in exact disciplines and emphasized physical education. In his free time, he helped his parents or went out with friends. Fortunately, the village of Gorodki, where Sasha was born and raised, is friendly. People don't just know each other. Families are bound by long-standing Cossack traditions. Here they sacredly honor the behests of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers. “For us he was Prokha,” say friends of Alexander Prokhorenko. “Fair, decent, kind.” He graduated from school in 2007 with a silver medal. With an excellent certificate he entered the Smolensk Military Academy of Air Defense. “He studied easily, graduated with honors,” recalls the hero’s acquaintance Evgeniy. “All the residents of the village were happy for him. By the way, his younger brother Vanya is also in Smolensk. He is 19, he is a second-year student at the same military almamater. “Sasha’s wife’s name is Katya,” the Gorodetsky village council reported. - You can’t even imagine how happy he was! He loved his wife very much, took care of her, and gave her expensive gifts. They even look somewhat similar to him. “Aren’t you brother and sister?” - they joked at their wedding... “There was a hero in our village who died while fulfilling his international duty in Afghanistan,” recalls local resident Natalya, wiping away her tears. - Now the whole world has learned about Gorodki because of the heroic death of Sasha. Sasha’s dad, our best mechanic, took it all painfully. He was one of our frontline workers, and Sasha’s mother works as a cleaner in the village administration. They don’t communicate with anyone now. “You understand, until Sasha’s body is buried, we would not like to talk about him,” says one of the teachers. - When the time comes, we’ll tell you everything. And we'll have a memorial evening. In our school museum we have a cap that Sasha left to his brother. Alexander graduated from school 9 years ago, in 2007, with a silver medal. The guy was not only very smart, but also very athletic. He played lapta masterfully, was distinguished by his endurance, and always came first in cross-country games. They will do anything for the family This was stated by the Governor of the Orenburg Region Yuri Berg. On March 30, he visited the parents of Alexander Prokhorenko: he personally expressed his condolences and inquired about the problems. The grief of the family cannot be expressed in words,” noted Yuri Alexandrovich upon returning. - Words of support were sent to the hero’s parents on behalf of all residents of the Orenburg region. Alexander gave his life, causing fire on himself. We mourn together over the death of our fellow countryman, his name will forever remain in our hearts. The memory of Alexander Prokhorenko, a simple Orenburg guy who gave his life for life on earth, will be immortalized, said Yuri Berg. - A street in Orenburg will be named after the hero.