And a video clip published by the Ukrainian Navy showed a missile barrage, emanating from the city of Odessa, before a Russian ship caught fire.
And according to the British newspaper “The Times”, the Russian ship that was hit was “Vassily Bykov”, which had asked the Ukrainian forces that were on the island to surrender, before launching a massive attack after the Ukrainian soldiers refused their request.
Although the Ukrainian authorities believed that all the defenders of the island had been killed, the Ukrainian navy said earlier last week that the Ukrainian soldiers were not killed, but that they were captured by the Russians.
On February 25, Ukrainian media confirmed that all border guards had been killed on the small Ukrainian island of “Snek”, also known as “Zmini”, off the southeastern coast of Ukraine, after a Russian attack by two ships.
The 13 border guards on the island encountered two Russian warships, which opened fire on the island in the Black Sea.
Commenting on the Russian attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “On our island of Zminy, all our border guards died as heroes, defending themselves to the end. But they did not surrender,” according to “AFP.”
Zelensky confirmed that the fallen border guards on the island will be awarded the “Hero of Ukraine” for their honorable defense, adding: “May the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for Ukraine live forever.”