A combined force of marines and border guards believed to have been killed on the Black Sea Snake Island amid Russia’s multi-prolonged invasion, are reported to be alive, Ukraine’s naval forces reported.
Russian naval forces seized the island in Odesa Region, just 44 kilometers from NATO member Romania on Feb. 24. They killed 13 border guards defending the territory in the Danube River estuary, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry had announced.
However, an unspecified number of marines and border guards are now reported to be held prisoners by Russia, the naval forces said on Facebook.
“We are very happy to learn that our brothers are alive and sound! But Russian propaganda is trying to promote the ‘news’ that the Ukrainian authorities have allegedly ‘forgotten’ and ‘buried’ their subordinates,” the social media post said.
A Christian humanitarian mission was sent to the island aboard the Sapphire vessel on Feb. 26 to inspect reports of Russia’s attack on the island. However, the ship’s crew of priests and Ukrainian military personnel were “illegally captured,” the Armed Forces said.
It is not clear how many of the 13 Ukrainian servicemen on the island that were earlier reported killed are still alive, including the state of their health.
One border guard was seen on Twitter responding to a Russian warship’s message to surrender by saying, “go to hell.”
The naval military forces added that Russian forces destroyed the island’s “lighthouses, towers, antennas, etc. Accordingly, communication with Snake [island] was cut off,” the Facebook post read.
Interfax reported on Feb. 28 that the General Staff of the Armed Forces appealed to the world community to “take all possible measures to influence Russia” to release the captured defenders of Snake and the crew of the Sapphire ship, which was traveling to provide medical care to the island’s wounded.
Kyiv Post earlier reported that Russia’s occupation of the island would enable Russia to place long-range missiles and other military installations in the Danube River delta area closer to the 30-member NATO defense alliance.
One of Russia’s main security demands, issued to the United States and NATO since December, was for the alliance to cease all cooperation with Ukraine and pull its forces back from other eastern European countries.
