Its chaplain, Olexander Chokov, is one of the priests accompanying Virozub

“The marines said that that they had been bombed hence brand new Moskva cruiser got discharged numerous salvos. Just what was indeed the males accomplish?” said Chokov. “That they had absolutely nothing to fight with, only server firearms and you will small arms.

“The newest leader determined, got obligation to save this new existence of one’s 80 those who have been to the isle. It raised the white banner and you will surrendered.”

You to night, new Ukrainian inmates have been moved to Simferopol airport and piled to an Il-76 armed forces flights. Virozub counted regarding 200 someone up to speed – brand new Snake Isle group, the fresh Sapphire’s crew, in addition to Ukrainian troops have been caught on Kherson region.

Serhiy Rylsky, who was simply accountable for the fresh new lighthouse on the Serpent Isle, remembers the jet arrived on Russian town of Kursk, where in fact the inmates was in fact taken to a good tent go camping. Virozub claims the latest camp was at the fresh village out of Shebekino, in the Russian border area for Belgorod. Immediately after each week in the go camping, the brand new prisoners was indeed sent to a good pre-trial detention middle in the city away from Stary Oskol, into the Belgorod.

‘Excite offer dad home’

It absolutely was a matter of days before very first inmates had been put-out. Rylsky, the brand new lighthouse movie director, spent thirty days within the Russian captivity, returning home on twenty four March. The guy estimates one to 29 individuals, mostly civilians, was basically replaced on that big date. The team included the staff of your Sapphire – not the fresh new priests in addition to doc just who accompanied her or him.

Olexander Mutichko, senior secretary chief towards Sapphire, claims they certainly were replaced toward mainly Russian staff of your tanker Millennial Spirit, have been caught by Ukrainian pushes for the late March.

3 days following replace, Volodymyr Zelenskyi was expected when you look at the an interview in the previous account one new defenders off Snake Island had all of the started killed. This time around, https://datingmentor.org/escort/coral-springs/ the guy said that not all of them got died, and that others got just returned family.

“Russia made an appearance with this particular suggestion. I replaced them instead hesitation. That’s all. Individuals who passed away are, honestly, heroes. And those who survived – i replaced him or her,” the fresh new president told you.

Inside February, following the Zelenskyi’s declaration, the brand new prisoners’ relatives acquired phone calls out-of Ukraine’s County Advice Agency, and this collects information on captured troops.

A few sets of caught troops was basically returned when you look at the transfers the following month. Bohdan Hotskyi, chief of the edging shields, came back domestic on 19 April.

A family doctor as well as 2 of the priests who have been with the board this new Sapphire were plus replaced into the April. But Virozub, this new priest, was only released in may, shortly after 68 months from inside the captivity.

Considering Hotskyi, the border shield captain, 19 members of their edging guard party will still be inside captivity thus far.

“I hope he could be released. We inquire the competent authorities to get doing work in this procedure, as they [this new defenders] can be found in captivity for over half a year,” he said.

Household members of grabbed defenders was indeed invited in order to Kyiv to your 5 September to get to know officials within Complimentary Head office towards Medication off Prisoners regarding Conflict, which includes overall obligations having Ukrainian POWs. After the conference, nearest and dearest advised Graty that 29 marines remained into the captivity – up to 30 October, whenever among them premiered through a great prisoner replace that have Russia. Now, 47 Snake Area workers are in Russian captivity.

“My guy along with his girlfriend recently had a child man. He was 6 months dated when their dad decided to go to the fresh new area,” told you Tetiana Mykolaivna, mother away from aquatic Olexander Kardashev. “The guy cannot even know your son has had his first strategies, that he is starting to cam, which he has experienced 1st pearly whites.