Their chaplain, Olexander Chokov, was one of many priests associated Virozub
“The fresh marines asserted that they had come bombed hence the Moskva cruiser had discharged multiple salvos. Just what was the fresh new boys to complete?” said Chokov. “They had nothing to battle with, merely servers firearms and you will small-arms.
“The new frontrunner made a decision, got obligations in order to save the newest life of your 80 people that was to your isle. They boosted the white banner and you will surrendered.”
One nights, the fresh Ukrainian inmates was gone to live in Simferopol airport and you will piled on to an enthusiastic Il-76 armed forces routes. Virozub mentioned from the 2 hundred some one on board – the Snake Isle group, the fresh new Sapphire’s staff, and additionally Ukrainian soldiers have been grabbed about Kherson part.
Serhiy Rylsky, who had been accountable for brand new lighthouse with the Snake Island, recalls that the flat arrived in the Russian city of Kursk, where prisoners was in fact delivered to a tent go camping. Virozub says the fresh camp was a student in the new community of Shebekino, from the Russian edging area for Belgorod. Once weekly about camp, the fresh inmates was basically sent to good pre-demo detention middle in town away from Stary Oskol, in Belgorod.
‘Excite render dad home’
It was a question of months until the first inmates were released. Rylsky, the latest lighthouse movie director, invested thirty days within the Russian captivity, returning domestic towards the twenty-four March. The guy rates you to definitely 31 anybody, primarily civilians, was in fact replaced on that time. The group integrated brand new staff of your own Sapphire – yet not the fresh priests therefore the doctor exactly who adopted them.
Olexander Mutichko, older assistant chief to the Sapphire, states these people were traded towards the mostly Russian crew of your own tanker Millennial Spirit, who were seized by the Ukrainian pushes in the later February.
Three days after the exchange, Volodymyr Zelenskyi is actually requested when you look at the an interview regarding early in the day account you to definitely the newest defenders regarding Snake Area got all been murdered. This time around, he asserted that only some of them had passed away, which others got just returned family.
“Russia came out using this type of suggestion. I traded him or her as opposed to hesitation Gluten Free dating sites in usa. That’s it. Those who died are, really, heroes. And those who endured – we traded him or her,” the latest president told you.
For the February, after the Zelenskyi’s declaration, new prisoners’ relatives gotten calls out-of Ukraine’s County Guidance Bureau, and this accumulates details about captured soldiers.
A few categories of captured troops was returned from inside the exchanges the following times. Bohdan Hotskyi, chief of the edging shields, came back household for the 19 April.
Your doctor as well as 2 of one’s priests have been toward panel the Sapphire had been and replaced from inside the April. But Virozub, this new priest, was only create in-may, after 68 months into the captivity.
According to Hotskyi, the brand new edging guard master, 19 people in his border guard class will still be inside the captivity up to now.
“I hope he’s put-out. We query all the competent authorities to locate in it techniques, while they [the fresh defenders] can be found in captivity for over six months,” the guy told you.
Nearest and dearest of seized defenders was indeed anticipate so you’re able to Kyiv towards the 5 Sep in order to meet officials in the Coordinating Head office towards Therapy away from Prisoners off Battle, which includes total obligations to own Ukrainian POWs. Adopting the conference, nearest and dearest told Graty one to 29 marines stayed in the captivity – up to 31 October, when one of them was launched through an effective prisoner change having Russia. Now, 47 Snake Area workers are during the Russian captivity.
“My personal man with his wife has just got an infant boy. He was 6 months dated whenever their dad decided to go to the fresh new island,” said Tetiana Mykolaivna, mom regarding aquatic Olexander Kardashev. “He does not have any idea your child has brought 1st steps, that he’s just starting to talk, which he has experienced his first teeth.