Ukraine Soldiers Who Told Russian Ship "Go Fu*k Yourself", Alive: Reports

A group of Ukrainian troops, who were believed to have been killed in action after defying the Russian Navy's warning to surrender, are alive after they were taken prisoners, the news website Spectator Index claimed in a tweet.

On the second day of the Russian invasion last week, Ukraine had said it would posthumously honour the Ukrainian border guards who were killed defending the tiny island in the Black Sea.

"Reports that Ukrainian troops on Snake Island who told Russian warship to 'go f*** yourself' are alive and were taken as prisoners," Spectator Index tweeted.

BREAKING: Reports that Ukrainian troops on Snake Island who told Russian warship to 'go f*** yourself' are alive and were taken as prisoners

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) February 28, 2022

Ukraine had lost contact with its forces on Zmiinyi, or Snake Island, a speck of land south of the port of Odessa, on Thursday after Russia conducted strikes from air and sea.

Ukraine had said 13 soldiers had been killed, and an audio clip of an exchange between Ukrainian and Russian forces was shared widely on social media.

"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary victims. Otherwise you will be bombed," the Russian warship is heard saying in the audio clip.

On Friday, Russia's Defence Ministry said 82 Ukrainian soldiers on the island had surrendered to them voluntarily. It made no mention of carrying out strikes or inflicting casualties.

Julia Kanin, a journalist, tweeted that one of the soldiers from Snake Island who surrendered to Russia gave an interview.

One of the soldiers from the Snake Island surrendered to Russia gave an interview. He shed a tear and said "Well, if they buried us alive, then they intended to bury us." He accused Zelenskyy of not knowing that there was a marine corps on the Snake Island. pic.twitter.com/oKhcyDJUAe

— Julia Kanin (@julia_kanin) February 27, 2022

Ms Kanin said the soldier accused Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky of not knowing that there was a marine corps on Snake Island.