Stories of courage are emerging as Russia presses forward with its invasion of Ukraine. From standing in front of tanks to amazing aerial dogfights to a man giving his life to blow up a bridge to stop a Russian advance, reports of heroism embolden Ukrainian resolve. Today Townhall reports that border guards who were thought dead after defiantly standing their ground despite overwhelming odds, are “alive and well.”
The Ukrainian Navy reported: “We are very happy to learn that our brothers are alive and well with them! But Russian propaganda tries to twist the ‘news’ about the fact that the Ukrainian authorities ‘forgotten’, [and] ‘buried’ their fellows.”
Last Thursday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the soldiers were killed after a Russian warship approached Snake Island and demanded they surrender.
According to reports, when the Russian military vessel approached, it radioed the few soldiers on Snake Island, “I am a Russian warship…lay down your arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary deaths. Otherwise, you will be bombed.”
Reminiscent of the infamous reply—”NUTS”—American General McAuliffe made to a large German force demanding outnumbered American soldiers surrender in the Dec. 1944 Battle of the Bulge, one Ukrainian soldier responded to the radio message: “Russian warship, go f–k yourself.”
Russian forces attacked the island and destroyed Ukrainian buildings. Communications went down, and the Ukrainian border guards were thought to have died in the assault.
The island is now under Russian control.
In tribute, President Zelenskyy declared that the border soldiers would each be posthumously awarded the title, “Hero of Ukraine.”
In a related story, Ukraine asserts there was an “Illegal capture of a civilian ship [in the area of Snake Island].”
The Ukrainian Navy states the ship was “a non-combatant vessel,” not “performing any military mission.”
“[It] is a violation of the rules and customs of war, international humanitarian law,” the Ukrainian Navy continued. “We demand from Russia the immediate release of illegally [captured] citizens of Ukraine.”
The crew of a Ukrainian Sapphire civilian ship sent to the island to help the victims of the attack were captured by the Russian military, Ukrainian officials said.
However, in news that will boost the morale of weary Ukrainian citizens, on Saturday, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine posted a statement to Facebook noting there is a “strong belief” that the Snake Island border agents were captured, transported to Sevastopol on the Russian-controlled Crimea Peninsula, but still alive.
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