Proudly wearing his uniform beside his pregnant wife, this is the heroic Russian Rambo who bravely called an airstrike on himself to destroy ISIS terrorists who surrounded him.

Trapped behind enemy lines, surrounded by jihadists and with no possible means of escape, Alexander Prokhorenko, 25, took the decision to end his own life by calling in Russian warplanes to obliterate his location.

The special forces soldier, on a secret mission in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, has since been hailed as a hero in his native Russia.

His wife Ekaterina, who is pregnant with their first child, today revealed she had no idea he was fighting in Syria.

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Heroic: Alexander Prokhorenko (left, with his wife Ekaterina) was surrounded by ISIS fighters near the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra when he ordered an airstrike on himself

Freedom: His death came just days after Syrian soldiers entered the destroyed city of Palmyra (pictured)

It is believed President Vladimir Putin will personally present his his family with a posthumous Hero of Russia award, the country's highest honour.

When he left home for his final mission two months ago, Ekaterina believed he was going to serve in Russia's Caucasus region, not an ISIS stronghold where he was identifying targets for bombing raids.

Alexander said he felt like 'the happiest man in the world' when the two wed 18 months ago, according to one account.

'His voice trembled as he said that everything he wished for was coming to him,' according to one account.

'He wanted to serve in the army and became a military, he wanted to have the best wife in the world, and there she was for him.'

Having dreamed of a military career, Prokhorenko enlisted in the Military Academy of Air Defence of the Armed Forces of Russian Federation immediately after leaving school.

His two brothers were also in the Russian military and he is believed to have served in the special forces, although Moscow is yet to confirm this.

ISIS media claimed last week that five Russian special forces officers had been killed near Palmyra, sharing images and videos of a body.

Torn apart: Prokhorenko (left) said he felt like 'the happiest man in the world' when he and Ekaterina (right) wed 18 months ago

Family: Ekaterina (pictured with Prokhorenko on their wedding day) is pregnant with their first child but does not know if it is a boy or girl

Brave: Prokhorenko (left), 25, a lieutenant in the Russian special forces, has been hailed as a hero ever since

Left behind: But his wife Ekaterina (right) believed he was still serving in the Russian Caucasus, not deep inside ISIS territory

Dangerous: Prokhorenko (pictured) was deep inside ISIS territory identifying 'crucial ISIS targets' and passing the coordinates for strikes to the Russian air force

Entry: ISIS media claimed last week that five Russian special forces officers had been killed near Palmyra (pictured, a Syrian soldier in the ancient city)

Victory: Syrian soldiers (pictured) rest at a neighbourhood in the historical city of Palmyra which was recently liberated from ISIS control

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied at the time that Russian officers were participating in the advance on Palmyra, which has been under ISIS control since May 2015.

Moscow’s defence ministry said Russian aircraft carried out 146 strikes on ‘terrorist targets’ in the Palmyra area between Wednesday and last Sunday.

The officer was carrying out a combat task in Palmyra area for a week, identifying crucial IS targets and passing exact coordinates for strikes with Russian planes Russian military spokesman

It comes just days after Syrian troops entered Palmyra, with photographs emerging of Bashar al-Assad's forces within the ancient city itself.

Following Prokhorenko's death, a Russian military spokesman said: 'An officer of Russian special operations forces was killed near Palmyra while carrying out a special task to direct Russian airstrikes at Islamic State group targets.

'The officer was carrying out a combat task in Palmyra area for a week, identifying crucial IS targets and passing exact coordinates for strikes with Russian planes.

'The officer died as a hero, he drew fire onto himself after being located and surrounded by terrorists.'

Natalia Meshkova, head teacher of Gorodki secondary school from which he graduated in 2007, said: 'The entire village is in mourning.

Revered: His two brothers were also in the Russian military and Prokhorenko (pictured) is believed to have served in the special forces

Attack: A Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Russian officers were participating in the advance on Palmyra, claiming the advance was carried out by the Syrian army (pictured, Syrian soldiers near Palmyra)

Barbarity: A Syrian soldier inspects a damaged statue in Palmyra, which has been systematically taken apart by ISIS thugs since they occupied the city since May 2015

Destroyed: Moscow’s defence ministry said Russian aircraft carried out 146 strikes on ‘terrorist targets’ in the Palmyra area (pictured, the historic city) between Wednesday and last Sunday

'No one really knew where Sasha [Alexander] was serving. There were rumours that he was in the secret troops.

'He graduated from school with a silver medal. But in military academy he won a gold medal. He was the pride of his parents.'

His former teacher, Pyotr Rusinov, said: 'He was a very hard-working pupil. We will never be able to accept that he's no longer with us. The military says he'll be given Hero of Russia.'