A heroic Ukrainian Marine blew himself up with a bridge in Crimea on Thursday to hold off advancing Russian troops and allow his battalion to regroup and redeploy.
Vitaly Shakun was driving the Henichesk Bridge in the Kherson region when the Russians advanced.
According to a publication in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Facebook page, the battalion decided that the only way to stop them was to blow up the bridge.
It was mined, but there was no time to get out.
Shakun texted them and told them he would blow up the bridge. Seconds later, they heard an explosion, the publication said.
Vitaly Shakun was driving the Henichesk Bridge in the Kherson region when the Russians advanced. According to a post on the Facebook page of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the battalion has decided that the only way to stop them is to blow up the bridge.
Post on the Facebook page of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine describes in detail his heroic efforts
The Henichesky bridge in the Kherson region of the Crimean checkpoint, which Ukrainian forces said was a key defense zone
The destroyed bridge on Thursday after the heroic soldier blew it up
His efforts drastically slowed the advance of the Russians and allowed his comrades to regroup and redistribute.
He is believed to be among at least 137 people killed on the first day of the war yesterday.
“On this difficult day for our country, when the Ukrainian people are repelling the Russian occupiers in all directions, one of the most difficult places on the map of Ukraine was the Crimean Isthmus, where a separate battalion of Marines met one of the first enemies. .
“In order to stop the advance of the tank column, it was decided to blow up the Genius Road Bridge.
Vitaly Vladimirovich Skakun, an engineer from a separate battalion, volunteered to perform this task. The bridge was mined, but he did not have time to leave.
“According to the brothers, Vitaly got in touch and said he was blowing up the bridge. An explosion was heard immediately. Our brother died.
“His heroic deed significantly slowed down the enemy’s advance, which allowed the unit to redistribute and organize the defense,” the publication said in a translation.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky spoke on Friday in Kiev. Ukrainians are told to fight for their lives
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko holds a Kalashnikov assault rifle while interviewed on Friday. He joined the Civil Territorial Defense on the streets of Ukraine and said there were a number of people who wanted to help but did not have enough weapons
Residents of Kiev were filmed hiding in a bomb shelter somewhere in the city while under Russian bombing
Ukrainian troops occupy a bridgehead in the city of Kiev as Russian forces advance toward the capital
Russian soldiers on the amphibious infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2 move to mainland Ukraine on the road near Armyansk, Crimea
WAR IN UKRAINE: LAST
- Russia has said it does not want to negotiate with the Ukrainian government until the military operation is over
- He came after Zelensky called for a sit-in with Putin to end the fighting
- Putin says he would be ready to send a team of negotiators to meet with Zelensky in Belarus to help with the invasion
- The Russian president then called on the Ukrainian military to overthrow the “regime” in Kiev
- Chinese President Xi spoke with Putin on the phone and called for a diplomatic solution to the fighting
- Ukraine has said Russia has bombed 33 civilian sites in Kiev in the past 24 hours
- Two children were killed in the attack in Kiev last night
- Ukraine bans men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country to enlist in the armed forces
- Zelensky allowed anyone of all ages to join the armed forces and called on Europeans from other countries to come and join the battle
- Russia is sending paratroopers to Chernobyl after capturing it yesterday, Moscow said
- Ukraine reports “abnormal” levels of radiation at the plant amid fears that the nuclear storage facility was breached during a battle, but Moscow said the readings were normal.
- Russia claims to have destroyed 118 Ukrainian military sites in 30 hours of fighting
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised more support in Ukraine in the coming days
- Johnson shared a phone call with Zelensky on Friday morning
He will receive posthumous awards for bravery, the publication said. Ukrainian troops and civilians are fighting to the death to stop Putin’s army.
President Zelenski told the country yesterday that he would give a firearm to anyone who wants one and wants to stay and fight.
Citizens are told to use Molotov cocktails to fight the enemy.
Dozens of them were filmed signing up to join defense teams across the country last night in photos shared by Ukrainian MP Andriy Osanchuk.
President Zelensky this morning embarrassed President Biden for “watching from a distance” as Putin stormed his country.
Biden and the West imposed severe economic sanctions, but did not engage in any physical conflict.
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is on the streets with detachments of civilians lining up to join the battle.
He told CNN on Friday that everyone was ready to fight but had no weapons.
“We have maybe two machine guns … that’s all.” We don’t have artillery, tanks, it’s a long line of people who signed up, but we don’t have enough weapons.
“These are ordinary people who have never been in the army. Now they are queuing up to join us.
“It’s extremely touching.”
“Putin will never catch Ukraine.
“No matter how many soldiers there are, there are missiles, there are nuclear weapons.
“We Ukrainians are free people with a great European future,” he said.