These people were marines who had been stationed towards the Snake Island, from Ukraine’s 35th Marine Brigade
Its chaplain, Olexander Chokov, are among the many priests associated Virozub
“New marines mentioned that they had come bombed and this the brand new Moskva cruiser had discharged multiple salvos. Just what were the brand new guys accomplish?” told you Chokov. “They had nothing to battle with, only machine weapons and small arms.
“This new frontrunner made the decision, got duty to save the new lifestyle of your own 80 people that was indeed on the isle. They boosted the white flag and you can surrendered.”
One evening, new Ukrainian prisoners was basically gone to live in Simferopol airport and you will stacked on to an Il-76 army aircraft. Virozub counted regarding 2 hundred individuals up to speed – the new Snake Isle team, the fresh Sapphire’s crew daddyhunt login, as well as Ukrainian troops who were seized regarding Kherson area.
Serhiy Rylsky, who had been accountable for this new lighthouse with the Serpent Area, remembers that the plane landed throughout the Russian city of Kursk, in which the prisoners were taken to an effective tent camp. Virozub states the newest camp was in this new village of Shebekino, about Russian edging region of Belgorod. Shortly after each week regarding camp, the prisoners was basically delivered to a great pre-demo detention heart around regarding Stary Oskol, during the Belgorod.
‘Delight promote dad home’
It absolutely was an issue of weeks up until the first inmates have been released. Rylsky, the fresh lighthouse director, spent a month for the Russian captivity, returning home with the 24 March. He rates you to 30 some one, mostly civilians, was indeed traded thereon big date. The group incorporated the newest crew of your own Sapphire – however brand new priests and also the doc which used him or her.
Olexander Mutichko, senior secretary head to your Sapphire, states these were replaced on the mainly Russian crew of your tanker Millennial Spirit, who were grabbed because of the Ukrainian pushes in the later March.
3 days following the exchange, Volodymyr Zelenskyi try expected from inside the an interview in the earlier in the day accounts you to definitely the fresh new defenders out of Snake Area got all become murdered. This time, the guy mentioned that not all of them got passed away, which the remainder had merely returned home.
“Russia appeared using this type of suggestion. We exchanged her or him in the place of doubt. That’s all. Those who died was, really, heroes. And people who lasted – i replaced him or her,” new chairman said.
For the February, after the Zelenskyi’s report, the prisoners’ family unit members received phone calls of Ukraine’s State Recommendations Agency, and this collects information on grabbed soldiers.
Several categories of seized troops was indeed came back for the transfers the next times. Bohdan Hotskyi, captain of your edging shields, came back home into 19 April.
The doctor and two of the priests who had been on the panel the brand new Sapphire was indeed as well as exchanged inside the April. However, Virozub, the latest priest, was just create in-may, shortly after 68 weeks into the captivity.
Based on Hotskyi, brand new border protect head, 19 people in their border guard people are still within the captivity so far.
“I hope they are create. We query the competent authorities to obtain working in this techniques, as they [the defenders] have captivity for over half a year,” he said.
Family relations of seized defenders was in fact welcome in order to Kyiv toward 5 Sep to meet up with officials from the Matching Head office for the Treatment from Inmates from War, which includes overall duty having Ukrainian POWs. Following fulfilling, family unit members advised Graty one to 30 marines remained for the captivity – up to 29 October, when among them was launched via a prisoner change that have Russia. Now, 47 Snake Area workers are from inside the Russian captivity.
“My personal son and his partner recently had a baby son. He was half a year dated when their dad went along to the fresh area,” told you Tetiana Mykolaivna, mother out of aquatic Olexander Kardashev. “The guy cannot even comprehend that son has brought his first methods, that he’s beginning to cam, that he has had 1st white teeth.