Italy unveils monument to Russian soldier killed in battle for Palmyra in Syria

[vostok]

A monument honoring Russian officer Aleksandr Prokhorenko has been unveiled in the Italian municipality of Vagli Sotto. Russian and Italian authorities, as well as members of military bodies including the Russian Army, were part of the inauguration ceremony. The young Russian officer was involved in the Syrian Army's effort to recapture of the city of Palmyra from the hands of the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in March last year. He heroically died after ordering an artillery strike on his own location after he was surrounded by IS fighters.
https://www.rt.com/in-motion/398803-monument-russian-soldier-italy/

Authorities of the northern Italian town of Vagli Sotto on Sunday unveiled a memorial commemorating Russian 1st Lt. Alexander Prokhorenko, who in 2016 called an airstrike upon himself in Syria after being surrounded by Daesh terrorists, Mario Puglia, the town's mayor, told Sputnik.
According to a person attending the ceremony, over 100 people, including local officials and residents, as well as Russian diplomats participated in the event.
"A two-meter [6.5 feet] statue depicts Prokhorenko in a helmet and with an automatic rifle, peering at skies waiting for the aircraft that should conduct an airstrike hitting the position. We are also planning to create three small copies of the monument that will be handed by the staff of the Russian diplomatic mission to the ambassador in Rome, to Russian President [Vladimir Putin] and to Prokhorenko's family," Puglia said.
The politician said that Italy appreciated the Russian policy in the struggle against the Islamic State (IS, outlawed in Russia) terrorist group and would be happy to pay tribute to the memory of the hero, who had chosen not to surrender to terrorists, but to die instead of it.
"All the world should be proud of his deed," Puglia added.
Senior Lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko, 25, was killed in March 2016 during the battle to recapture the ancient Syrian city Palmyra from Daesh terrorists. He was directing a military aircraft to the targets near Palmyra during the anti-terror operation in Syria. While performing a reconnaissance mission he became surrounded by the enemy and instead of surrendering called in an airstrike on his position, taking down a number of enemy fighters with him. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia by the presidential decree for his courage and bravery in a combat duty. Prokhorenko’s body was sent back home and buried in the village of Gorodki in Russia’s Orenburg Region.
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201708061056231455-prokhorenko-monument-italy-russia-palmyra/

 

[Tshering22]

Russia and Italy have quite good relations, don't they?

The aerospace collaboration, the marketing of major Aircraft projects, now this.

Surprising how Germany doesn't force Italiana to be anti Russian.

 

[ValerioAurelius]

Russia and Italy have quite good relations, don't they?

The aerospace collaboration, the marketing of major Aircraft projects, now this.

Surprising how Germany doesn't force Italiana to be anti Russian.

Why should it? Germany is not anti russian. Italy has good relations to russia but we still uphold the sanctions. We have a disagreement with Russia regarding crimea. Once thats settled sanctions can be lifted.

 

[Tshering22]

Why should it? Germany is not anti russian. Italy has good relations to russia but we still uphold the sanctions. We have a disagreement with Russia regarding crimea. Once thats settled sanctions can be lifted.

Crimea isn't going to go anywhere.

Technically defending Ukraine has no locus standi in EU.

Ukraine is not in EU, nor was a member of NATO and also during the breakup of Soviet Union, it was Russia that leased the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine.

Technically it just terminated its lease contract and took back what was its own.

 

[ValerioAurelius]

Crimea isn't going to go anywhere.

Technically defending Ukraine has no locus standi in EU.

Ukraine is not in EU, nor was a member of NATO and also during the breakup of Soviet Union, it was Russia that leased the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine.

Technically it just terminated its lease contract and took back what was its own.

And realistically the EU wants a contract with Ukraine and has an interest to push the price up for russia to not do the same to other eastern european countries.