Ukrainian soldiers who died defending a tiny island in the Black Sea left no room for interpretation about how they felt about Russian attackers.
A Russian officer alerted the defenders on Snake Island they were about to be bombed by a military warship and should relent.
“I suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and needless casualties,” he said, according to audio that’s been reported as the final exchange on the island.
A Ukrainian soldier responded: “Russian warship, go f—- yourself.”
Those defiant words were the last to come from the island south of Crimea and they’ve now traveled across the globe.
