Snake Island’s Ukrainian sailors, who went viral for shouting “Russian warship, fuck off,” were released Thursday during a prisoner swap with Russia.
Iryna Vereshuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, said Ukraine had released 11 Russian civilian seamen they rescued from a sunken ship near Odessa in exchange for the 19 Snake Island civilian seamen captured early in the invasion were, according to a telegram post.
A Russian warship approached Snake Island on February 24, urging the seamen who were border guards on the Black Sea island to “lay down your arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed and needless deaths.” Otherwise you will be bombed.”
The 13 guards rallied before returning with an answer: “Russian warship, fuck off.”
The sailors were captured by Snake Island after running out of ammunition and being forced to surrender. The soldiers were reportedly taken to Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula.
The statement “Russian warship, fuck off” quickly went viral. Shirts, patches, and other items featuring the phrase are even available online, including on Amazon.
Vereshuk also said that Thursday’s prisoner exchange swapped ten Ukrainian soldiers for ten Russian soldiers.