They were marines who were stationed to the Serpent Island, out-of Ukraine’s 35th Marine Brigade

Its chaplain, Olexander Chokov, is actually among the priests associated Virozub

“The fresh new marines asserted that they had become bombed which brand new Moskva cruiser had discharged several salvos. Exactly what was in fact the fresh boys to complete?” told you Chokov. “They’d absolutely nothing to struggle with, merely machine firearms and you can small arms.

“The frontrunner made the decision, took obligation to save the fresh existence of your own 80 individuals who have been for the isle. It boosted the light banner and you will surrendered.”

That nights, the latest Ukrainian prisoners was in fact moved to Simferopol airport and you may loaded onto an Il-76 armed forces aircraft. Virozub mentioned about 200 anybody up to speed – the latest Snake Area staff, the newest Sapphire’s crew, also Ukrainian soldiers who had been seized on the Kherson area.

Serhiy Rylsky, who was responsible for the lighthouse towards Snake Area, remembers the jet landed about Russian city of Kursk, where in actuality the inmates have been brought to a beneficial tent camp. Virozub states new camp was at brand new town from Shebekino, about Russian border area for Belgorod. Once per week on the camp, this new prisoners was provided for good pre-demonstration detention middle in town out of Stary Oskol, in the Belgorod.

‘Excite provide dad home’

It was a question of weeks before the basic prisoners was indeed put out. Rylsky, the newest lighthouse movie director, spent thirty days inside Russian captivity, returning household for the twenty-four March. He quotes you to definitely 31 anybody, mostly civilians, was indeed traded on that day. The team provided the staff of one’s Sapphire – but not brand new priests as well as the doc exactly who observed him or her.

Olexander Mutichko, senior assistant master on the Sapphire, claims these were exchanged for the primarily Russian crew of one’s tanker Millennial Soul, who have been seized of the Ukrainian pushes in the later March.

Three days adopting the change, Volodymyr Zelenskyi are requested in the a job interview throughout the previous records that new defenders out-of Snake Island had every become murdered. This time around, the guy said that not all of them got died, and this others had only returned home.

“Russia appeared using this type of proposal. I exchanged him or her without concern. That’s it. Those who passed away is, genuinely, heroes. And those who live – i replaced her or him,” the fresh new president said.

In March, after the Zelenskyi’s statement, this new prisoners’ household members acquired calls from Ukraine’s State Pointers Bureau, hence accumulates information on caught troops.

One or two categories of captured troops were returned when you look at the transfers the following month. Bohdan Hotskyi, chief of your border guards, returned household with the 19 April.

Your medical professional as well as 2 of priests who were into panel the newest Sapphire have been and additionally exchanged for the April. But Virozub, brand new priest, was just released in may, immediately following 68 days from inside the captivity.

Based on Hotskyi, the newest edging protect captain, 19 people in his edging protect group remain in cowboy dating review captivity to date.

“I’m hoping he’s released. I query most of the skilled authorities locate working in so it procedure, because they [the newest defenders] come in captivity for more than half a year,” the guy said.

Household members of the captured defenders was welcome so you can Kyiv into 5 September to meet up with officials at Coordinating Headquarters to your Treatment out of Inmates away from War, with overall obligations to own Ukrainian POWs. Following the meeting, family relations told Graty that 29 marines stayed during the captivity – up until 30 Oct, whenever one of them premiered thru a great prisoner change which have Russia. Now, 47 Serpent Area workers are in Russian captivity.

“My personal boy and his awesome spouse recently got an infant man. He had been 6 months old whenever his dad decided to go to new area,” said Tetiana Mykolaivna, mommy off marine Olexander Kardashev. “The guy doesn’t even know that the child has taken his first actions, that he is beginning to talk, which he has already established his first pearly whites.