MOSCOW, November 17. /TASS/. The parents of Russian officer Alexander Prokhorenko killed in Syria in March this year have written a letter to French President Francois Hollande, urging to unite international anti-terror efforts. The letter’s text was read out by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday.
Senior Lieutenant Prokhorenko was killed when he was directing Russian warplanes’ strikes towards the positions of militants of the Islamic State terrorist organization (outlawed in Russia) in Syria. When surrounded by militants, he requested friendly fire.
Prokhorenko was posthumously awarded the Hero of Russia title. The authorities of the Orenburg Region where he was born have named a street in the regional center in his honor. Also, a school in the village of Gorodki in the Tyulgansky district of the Orenburg Region where he studied has been named after him.
"Mr. President, you, the father of four children, can understand the depth of our pain and there is hardly anything more frightening in life than the death of one’s child," the letter says.
"Sasha [Alexander] gave his life to prevent terrorists in Russia, France and other countries from killing people, so that there is peace in our countries and there is no fear," according to the letter.
As the letter says, there is still a long way to go to achieve victory over international terrorism.
"In Syria, the militants who killed our son are getting away from punishment as soon as they say that they are the opposition," Prokhorenko’s parents write.
"It is painful to see that the leaders of leading European countries are doing everything to give militants a respite," the letter says.
"Our peoples can defeat terrorism but instead of uniting and finally destroying militants, you are publicly denouncing the actions of Russian pilots," Prokhorenko’s parents write.
"You can’t be an observer in the struggle with this evil. Either we all struggle or you turn to be on their side," the letter says.