(CNN) Alexander Prokhorenko was battling to free the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. But he found himself surrounded by Islamic militants. He feared that he would be captured, tortured, killed and his body mutilated.

He preferred to die with dignity.

So he called in an airstrike on his own position.

That was his contribution to liberating Palmyra from ISIS terrorists -- and to Russian glory. It was also his end. He was 25 years old.

His death was announced March 24.

And so the legend begins.

School may be named after Prokhorenko

The body of Alexander Prokhorenko, the man who's now being called the "Russian Rambo," was flown back home to Moscow this week, to be be greeted by his wife, Katya, who is pregnant with their first child.

All of this is according to Sputnik, the Russian state news agency.

Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian military engineers detonate mines laid by ISIS militants during an operation to liberate the city of Palmyra, Syria, on Sunday, March 27. Syrian forces recaptured Palmyra from ISIS on Sunday, months after the city fell to the Islamic extremist group, state media reported. Hide Caption 1 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra A member of the Syrian military walks past a banner bearing ISIS slogans on March 27. Hide Caption 2 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Smoke rises near a gas station as a result of fighting between Syrian government forces and ISIS militants on March 27. Hide Caption 3 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Damage to the Palmyra Castle, the ancient hilltop citadel formally known as Fakhr-al-Din al-Maani Castle, can be seen following the fighting on March 27. Hide Caption 4 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian soldiers carry a wounded comrade after an explosion near the castle on Saturday, March 26. Hide Caption 5 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian soldiers climb to the top of the castle to place a flag on March 26. Hide Caption 6 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian forces hold a position on the outskirts of Palmyra on March 26. Hide Caption 7 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian forces pose next to the Palmyra Castle on March 26. Hide Caption 8 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian soldiers stand near the body of an ISIS militant near Palmyra on Friday, March 25. Hide Caption 9 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra A dust cloud rises near the Palmyra Castle during the military operation to retake Palmyra on March 25. Hide Caption 10 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian soldiers survey the damage to a villa belonging to the Qatari royal family on March 25. The villa near Palmyra served as an ISIS headquarters after being abandoned by its owner. Hide Caption 11 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian troops hold a position on the outskirts of Palmyra on March 25. Hide Caption 12 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian soldiers fire mortars at ISIS positions in Palmyra on March 25. Hide Caption 13 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian soldiers reload a cannon near Palmyra on Thursday, March 24. Hide Caption 14 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra A Syrian soldier takes a position inside a damaged palace at the entrance of Palmyra on March 24. Hide Caption 15 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian troops monitor the surrounding area from their location on the outskirts of Palmyra on March 24. Hide Caption 16 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Smoke rises near Palmyra during the operation to retake the town on March 24. Hide Caption 17 of 18 Photos: Syrian forces retake Palmyra Syrian troops stand next to a mansion belonging to the Qatari royal family on March 24. Hide Caption 18 of 18

In accordance with an order from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prokhorenko has, posthumously, been awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation, Sputnik reported.

A teacher at Gorodetskoy Middle School, which he attended, said Prokhorenko was a wonderful student, and the school won many competitions because of his participation.

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And now his final act ...

"It is a real act of bravery that we will tell our pupils about," said Nadezhda Rusinova, a teacher at the school, as quoted by Sputnik. "After all, order an airstrike on yourself is something that not everybody would be able to do."

She said that she and others wanted now to name the Gorodetskoy Middle School after Prokhorenko, Sputnik reported.

Syrian engagement has proved costly for Russia

Palmyra has since been liberated from ISIS' grip.

On March 14 -- at least 10 days before Prokhorenko's death -- Putin ordered the withdrawal from Syria of "most" of Russia's military contingent there. The Russian troops were there, Moscow said, to fight terrorists such as ISIS, but many observers saw the Russian presence as propping up the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

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The deployment proved costly for Russia. On October 31, little more than a month after the deployment was announced, a Russia-bound passenger plane was brought down over Egypt's Sinai peninsula, killing all 224 people on board.

Investigators believe the plane was blown up by a bomb smuggled on board at its departure point, the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The local affiliate of ISIS claimed responsibility for the act.

And on November 24, a Russian warplane that both Turkey and the United States said had strayed from Syria into Turkish airspace was shot down by Turkey.

Relations between Russia and Turkey -- and between Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- have not recovered from that incident.