The 13 Ukrainian border guards, who feared dead after telling the Russian military to leave on the radio while defending a small island in the Black Sea, are actually alive and holding them as prisoners of war, the Ukrainian has since confirmed.
“We are very happy to learn that our brothers are alive and well,” it said statement.
The Ukrainian navy added that a civilian ship had gone to the island to help after the attack, but it had been captured by the Russians and demanded the release of all Ukrainian citizens.
“The illegal capture of a civilian ship – non-combatant, without carrying out any military mission, is a violation of the rules and customs of war, of international humanitarian law,” added the Ukrainian navy. “We demand from Russia the immediate release of illegally occupied citizens of Ukraine. ”
Security guards defending Snake Island, a strategically important piece of land south of the port of Odessa, initially thought they had fallen into flames of fame during Thursday’s attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has even promised to posthumously reward “heroic deceased border guards.”
But photos released by Russia’s Defense Ministry say the guards, part of Ukraine’s independent law enforcement agency, the State Border Service, are actually still alive after “voluntarily” surrendering their garrison to Russian troops.
Almost a dozen photos posted by Russia claims to show men boarding buses receiving bottled water and a package of food before being shown seated.
Ukrainian border guards defending a small Black Sea island from Russia were thought to have been killed after telling the Russian navy to “fuck off”, but Russia has released nearly a dozen photos since then.
The guards defending the island of Zmiyni (Zmiyski) – a speck of land south of the port of Odessa, were initially thought to have been killed but perished in flames of linguistic fame, but were allegedly photographed on Saturday
Ukrainian border guards operating a small island in the Black Sea near Romania, who were initially thought to have been killed on Thursday after telling a Russian warship to “fuck off” when they were told to surrender, they are now thought to have survived
Snake Island is strategically important because it allows Russia to claim territorial waters extending 12 nautical miles to the sea.
Russia has even said the men will be released to be allowed to return to their families.
The Ukrainian navy confirmed on Monday that soldiers on the island had repulsed two attacks by Russian forces, but had been forced to surrender “due to lack of ammunition”.
They also said in a statement that Russian forces had destroyed Snake Island’s infrastructure, including headlights, towers and antennas.
On Friday, in an audio clip shared online, an officer from a Russian warship could be heard telling Ukrainian security guards to “immediately lay down their arms to avoid bloodshed and unjustified deaths”, adding “otherwise you will be bombed” .
The guards can then be heard talking to each other, agreeing “this is it”, before responding to the Russian Navy with the words: “Russian warship, get out.”
Ukraine later lost contact with its forces defending the island on Thursday after Russia struck from air and sea, officials in Kyiv said.
A video has also surfaced on Twitter showing the time the island was shelled. It shows a Ukrainian soldier staring at a camera before a projectile falls nearby.
The Ukrainian navy has called for their immediate release.
Photos released by Russia on Saturday allege that Ukrainian servicemen arrived from Snake Island after leaving their garrison and “voluntarily surrendering” to Russian troops.
Before boarding the bus, the soldiers were given packets of food and bottles of water
Russian authorities distributed bottled water to Ukrainian soldiers as they boarded a bus
Russians say captured men will be “returned to their families”
The men see them boarding a bus that was taken from Snake Island during the operation
Ukrainian border guards operating the small Black Sea Snake Island near Romania were thought to have been killed on Thursday after telling a Russian warship to “fuck off” when ordered to surrender, but is now believed to be dead. that they survived
Protesters in Munich, Germany, hold placards containing reports of the attack on Snake Island, where border police told a Russian warship “motherfucker”
The troops were stationed on Snake Island in the Odessa region and defended the territory after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The island is ruled by Ukraine, but is only miles off the coast of Romania, a NATO member
On Friday, Russia’s defense ministry said 82 Ukrainian soldiers on the island had surrendered voluntarily. It does not mention beatings or casualties.
Russian Major General Igor Konashenkov said that the servicemen on the island “laid down their arms and voluntarily surrendered to a unit of the Russian armed forces.”
“Russian media reported that Ukrainian servicemen on the island have been sent to Sevastopol in Crimea,” the statement said.
Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion in the early hours of Thursday, Moscow’s most aggressive operation since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
Snake Island is ruled by Ukraine, but is only miles off the coast of Romania.
This is strategically important because it will allow Russia to claim territorial waters extending 12 nautical miles to the sea.
They cover important shipping channels to the port cities of Odessa, Nikolaev and Kherson.
Following the conquest of the island, Russia could suspend shipping by isolating Ukraine from international markets and depriving its economy of vital trade revenues while seeking to protect itself.