THE RUSSIAN SOLDIER WHO CALLED IN AN AIRSTRIKE ON HIMSELF
On March 19, 2016, he was in Syria as a forward observer in the fight against IS, directing close air support onto the enemy. The IS fighters, who far outnumbered him, attacked his position head-on and finally surrounded him. Low on ammunition and on his own, he radioed his coordinates and requested evacuation. But the extraction point was 12 minutes away, and Prokhorenko was already ringed by enemy fighters who were closing in.
To avoid being captured and killed by the enemy, Prokhorenko decided to call in an airstrike on his own position.
His last words were: “They are outside, this is the end, my commander. Thank you, tell my family and my country that I love them. Tell them I was brave and that I fought until I could not fight any more. Please take care of my family, avenge my death, goodbye my commander, tell my family that I love them!” After the command post had asked him to confirm several times, the strike was approved. Prokhorenko was killed and took an unknown number of enemy fighters with him. At the time of the strike, he and his wife were expecting a child.
At home, Prokhorenko was declared a Hero of the Russian Federation and a statue was put up in his honor.
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