A Ukrainian border guard who refused to surrender to a Russian warship telling them to “go f*** yourself” has been given a medal for his services after being released in a prisoner exchange.
Roman Hrybov was based on the tiny Snake Island in the Black Sea with 13 other soldiers when he refused to give up despite being outnumbered and being bombarded from sea and air by the Russians.
On being told to put down their weapons, the response from Hrybov by radio that “Russian warship, go f*** yourself”, was broadcast around the world.
Initially it was feared that the soldiers had died as the radio recording suddenly cut out but it was later revealed that some had survived and were taken prisoner.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said at first that all the soldiers would be given posthumous medals.
He later said in an interview that “some of the soldiers died, some were taken prisoner”.
Now Hrybov, from the city of Cherkasy, has been returned in exchange for sailors on a Russian ship that was captured on March 25 by Ukrainian forces.
A video by Cherkasy’s Regional State Administration has shown him being given an award from the head of of the regional administration Igor Taburets.
Hrybov said: "I want to say a big thank you to the Ukrainian people for such support. We strongly feel this support, it inspires us."
Also, Taburets said that the border guard was "an example" to other Ukrainians.
"I think that Ukraine should really know its heroes and Cherkasy should know its heroes," he said.
"The most important thing is that he survived, in spite of moral pressure, in spite of everything, and he will be an example for our Ukrainians and the people of Cherkasy."
The news of the Hrybov refusing to surrender along with other early acts of heroism, including a soldier who blew himself up along with a bridge to slow the advancement of Russian tanks, have inspired Ukrainian resistance despite being outnumbered by the Russians.
Cities like Kharkov and Mariupol have been left in ruins from Russian shelling but people are refusing to surrender.
Latest reports from Mariupol are that thousands of civilians may have died, according to the head of the United Nations human rights mission on Tuesday.
Those who remain are suffering with little food and water.
"We are eight people. We have two buckets of potatoes, one bucket of onions," said Irina, an engineer, in her apartment where windows had been blasted out.
Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces have made advances, recapturing territory from Russian troops on the outskirts of Kyiv, in the northeast and in the south.
In the southern city of Mykolaiv, a missile blasted a hole through the main administrative building. Authorities said at least 12 people were killed and 33 injured.
