PARIS, April 20 /TASS/. A French couple has decided to hand over the WWII military decorations earned by family members to the relatives of young Russian officer Alexander Prokhorenko who was killed in action in Syria on March 17, a source at the Russian embassy in Paris told TASS on Wednesday.

"He died like a hero and we are proud of his heroic feat," the Magues wrote in their letter to Russian Ambassador Alexander Orlov. "At this hour, our hearts are entirely with you," they said.

The military decorations, which the Magues family passed on to Prokhorenko’s widow and parents, include a War Cross with Bronze Palm Leaf with which the fighters of the Free French Forces were decorated during WWII; and a medal of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor which was awarded to the couple’s close relative for taking part in the French Resistance (against the Nazi occupation of France).

Jean-Claude and Michelin Magues made their noble gesture in a sign of "great fellow-feeling for Russia". They highly appreciated the efforts of Russian servicemen in fighting world terrorism. "These are our family decorations, and we think it would be right to hand them over to you," the Magues wrote.