An incident in a black sea islet, guarded by a small Ukrainian detachment that confronted a Russian Navy ship, has become an act of heroism for the Government of Ukraine, which has highlighted the courage of the soldiers, who died in the incident. The incident occurred on Thursday as Russian troops launched their assault on Ukrainian territory from various sides, by land, sea and air.
According to several Ukrainian media, a Ukrainian soldier displaced to the Black Sea islet, known as Snake Island, could not contain himself and confronted the Russian warship that threatened to bomb the detachment.
According to the audio of the radio exchange, released by the Ukrainian outlet Ukrayinska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth), when the Russians approached the islet, the Russian officer says: “This is a military warship. This is a warship.” Russian military. I suggest you lay down your arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary casualties. Otherwise you will be bombed.” Hearing the warning, a soldier from the Ukrainian detachment on Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, replies: “Russian warship, go to hell”. And those were the last known words heard from the island.
#ukraine – #russia: Audio of an exchange between Ukrainian soldiers on Snake island in the Black Sea, and an officer of the Russian Navy. All the Ukraine soldiers are reported to have been killed. They wouldn’t surrender, telling Russian soldiers to go fuck themselves.
RIP ? pic.twitter.com/wYsat8dWUk
— Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) February 25, 2022
The 13 Ukrainian soldiers stationed on the island died on Thursday in the bombardment, as confirmed by the Ukrainian president himself, Volodimir Zelenski, according to media reports. “All the border guards died heroically but did not give up. They will be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously,” Zelensky confirmed in his message.
Snake Island is located about 30 miles (about 48 kilometers) from the southern tip of the Ukrainian mainland, in the northwestern Black Sea, and about 300 kilometers (185 miles) west of the Crimean peninsula, the Ukrainian territory that Russia it was annexed in 2014.
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Although it only covers an area of about 18 hectares, a report last year cited by CNN and prepared by the independent think tank Atlantic Council described the place as “key in relation to Ukraine’s maritime territorial claims” in the Black Sea.
Highlighting its strategic importance, Zelensky chose it last year as the location for an interview with Ukrainian media ahead of a summit to try to reverse Russia’s annexation of Crimea, according to the Atlantic Council report. EFE