The Ukrainian soldier who set the early tone for the defence against the Russian invasion with an expletive-laden defiance of approaching warships, has been given a medal after he was freed in a prisoner exchange.
Roman Hrybov was part of a Ukrainian unit stationed on Snake Island in the Black Sea, near the mouth of the Danube River.
On the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February, Russian naval vessels approached the island and demanded the Ukrainians surrender.
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https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1508814043213139980?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThe response came back: "Russian warship, go f--- yourself."
Initial reports claimed the soldiers stationed on the island were all killed in the subsequent Russian bombardment, and satellite photos captured by Maxar Technologies showed damage done to much of the island's infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the time said all the soldiers would receive the Hero of Ukraine medal.
However, the Ukraine Navy later confirmed the soldiers had fought until they were out of ammunition, supposedly repelling two attacks before being forced to lay down their arms.
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They were then taken prisoner.
Now, as part of a prisoner exchange, the Ukraine Ministry of Defence reported that the soldiers had been freed.
Among them was Roman Hrybov, who had thrown the Russians' threat back in their teeth with the now-famous transmission.
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The Ministry tweeted a photo of Hrybov receiving a medal after he returned to his native Cherkasy district.
"Glory to the hero!" the tweet read.
Hrybov's curt rejection of the Russian demand to surrender has become symbolic of the Ukrainian resistance to the overall invasion, even being printed on postage stamps.
