Ukranian authorities have cast doubt on claims that a group of border guards were killed while defending a tiny island in the Black Sea from Russian troops.
Ukraine lost contact with its forces on Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, a speck of land south of the port of Odesa, on Thursday after Russia conducted strikes from air and sea, Kyiv said.
At the time, a Ukrainian official said all 13 guards stationed there had been killed and circulated an audio clip of a reported exchange between Ukrainian and Russian forces, which could not be independently verified.
"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you will be bombed," the warship allegedly broadcast.
"Russian warship, go f*** yourself," came the reply.
Authorities had announced plans to posthumously honour the guards, but in a statement released on Sunday, Ukraine's State Border Guard said there were "strong beliefs that all Ukrainian defenders of Zmiiniy Island may be alive".
"Russian media reported that Ukrainian servicemen on the island, who were temporarily occupied by Russia in Sevastopol, had been sent to Sevastopol," a translation of the statement said.
"Preliminary information that border guards may be dead came before the defenders lost contact."
Conflicting accounts over fate of island
On Friday, Russia's Defence Ministry said 82 Ukrainian soldiers on the island had surrendered to them voluntarily, making no mention of carrying out strikes or inflicting casualties.
Ukraine's State Border Guard offered a different account, accusing Russia of using "naval weapons" and "combat aircraft on border guards and soldiers".
"According to available information at the time, the infrastructure was destroyed and the island captured," the statement said.
"Prior to that, the enemy repeatedly tried in vain to intimidate Ukrainian defenders with demands to surrender and received only one correct answer — no-one will surrender."
After receiving information "about their probable location", the statement continued, "the SBGS together with the Armed Forces is working to identify our soldiers".
"We sincerely hope that the boys will return home as soon as possible, and the information received at the time of the attack on the death will not be confirmed."
Snake Island is 300 kilometres west of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, has previously been the subject of a territorial dispute with Romania.
Its maritime borders take in an area viewed as strategically important for resources including petroleum.
ABC/Reuters
