Snake Island soldiers who shouted ‘go f*** yourself’ to Russian invaders freed in prisoner exchange

Their iconic 'go f**k yourself" has become synonymous with Ukraine's resistance

The Snake Island border patrol guards who shouted "go f**k yourself" at Russian soldiers have now been freed in a Ukraine and Russia prisoner exchange. Soldiers stationed on Zmiinyi Island, commonly referred to as Snake Island, received worldwide fame after their tense standoff with a Russian warship on February 24. While they were initially believed to be dead, Ukrainian officials confirmed on February 28 that the soldiers had actually been captured. https://twitter.com/ua_parliament/status/1507104491597881349 However, after almost a month under Russian control, the prisoners have now been freed, according to Ukraine's official parliamentary Twitter. They wrote: "The first exchange of war hostages occurred on President @ZelenskyyUa's order. "Additionally, today, #Ukraine exchanged 11 Russian sailors we rescued from a sunken ship near #Odesa to 19 Ukrainian sailors (authors of the legendary phrase "Russian warship go f*** yourself")." [caption id="attachment_325310" align="alignnone" width="800"] This will be the fist official prisoner exchange/Via Ukraine Twitter[/caption] In a separate tweet, the officials added: "Our sailors will return home from the rescue ship 'Sapphire' which was captured by the Russian occupiers while trying to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the #Zmiiny island." While the famed troops will return home on a once-captured ship, the warship used to threaten them was destroyed in an enormous explosion earlier in March. One man can be heard shouting, "We f****** hit them", and another echoes the sentiments spoken by Snake Island soldiers and shouts: "Russian warship, go f*** yourself." https://twitter.com/ua_parliament/status/1507104493544083456 "Under the exchange terms, the lifeboat will also be returned to #Ukraine and sent to a Turkish port," Ukraine's parliament added. People have been reacting to the fabulous news online, where one person tweeted: "Champs are back safe!!!!! Winning." "Welcome HOME all :) Victory to Ukraine," another said.

Related links:

• Russian ship that attacked Snake Island's 'f**k yourself' soldiers has been destroyed
• Snake Island soldiers who told Russian warship 'go f**k yourself' are alive, Navy confirms
• 'Russian warship, go f**k yourself,' Ukrainian soldier said moments before death