Thirteen Ukrainian soldiers were killed defending the Snake Island in the Black Sea after they refused to surrender to a Russian warship and instead responded with “Go **** yourself,” reported Reuters.
An audio clip of the incident surfaced on social media where a Russian warship issued a warning to the Ukrainian soldiers stationed in Snake Island (Zmiinyi Island in Ukraine) on the south-east border of Ukraine, which is just 25 miles of NATO territory. After their refusal, the warship opened fire in which all 13 were killed.
As per the transcript of the audio exchange, one of the Russian ships contacted the outpost and said, “This is a Russian warship, I repeat. I suggest you surrender your weapons and capitulate otherwise I will open fire. Do you copy?”
One of the Ukrainian guards is heard saying, “This is it." He asks his fellow guard "Should I tell him to go f*** himself?”
The other guard tells him, "Just in case."
“Russian warship, go f*** yourself,” said the Ukrainian guard before the Russian ship opened fire.
'Hero of Ukraine'
All the guards on the Snake Island were killed by the Russian ship.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the heroes will be posthumously awarded the title of 'Hero of Ukraine,' in his address at the end of the first day of Russia's attack.
“On our Zmiinyi Island, defending it to the last, all the border guards died heroically. But did not give up. All of them will be posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine,” said Zelenskyy.
“May the memory of those who gave their lives for Ukraine live forever,” the president added.
(With inputs from Reuters.)
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