Ukrainian soldiers who told Russian warship 'go f*** yourself' honoured on postal stamps
Ukraine's postal service has issued one million stamps in honour of soldiers who defiantly told a Russian warship to "go f*** yourself" after being ordered to surrender.
On the first day of the war, the servicemen made headlines around the world after a recording of what was believed to be their final words to Vladimir Putin's troops was released.
Ukrainian officials initially believed 13 sailors, who were defending Zmiinyi (Snake) Island in the Black Sea, had been killed moments later.
A recording of the famous insult to Russia was shared across the globe
But it later emerged there had been 19 border guards stationed on the island and they had all been taken prisoner by the Russians.
They were later released from captivity as part of a prisoner exchange with Russian forces and hailed heroes as they were brought home.
In another twist, Ukrainian forces claimed on Thursday that two missile strikes struck that same warship - Russia's flagship of its Black Sea fleet named Moskva - causing "serious damage". However, Russia claims a fire onboard caused ammunition to detonate, and all 500 crew members were evacuated.
Now, Ukraine's postal service, Ukrposhta, has issued one million stamps brandishing the defiant insult to Russia as a "symbol of courage and the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people".
The stamp features an illustrated picture of a Ukrainian soldier holding a rifle looking at the enemy's missile cruiser.
Alongside, it the words "Russian warship, go ... yourself" feature inside a drawing of the outline of Snake Island.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a photo posing with the stamps with the caption: “The phrase, which became a symbol of the steadfastness of Ukrainian defenders, is now on postage stamps.
"Use and remember that the 'Russian warship' always has only one direction.”
Border guard Roman Hrybov, who famously told the invaders to "f*** yourselves" and was honoured with a medal by his home region of Cherkasy, was at Kyiv's main post office on Tuesday to mark the first day of the stamps' issue.
He joined Igor Smelyansky, General Director of Ukrposhta, who said in a statement: "This phrase – the answer of Ukrainian border guards, defenders of Snake Island, to the Russian ship on the offer to surrender on the day of the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine on February 24 has become a symbol of courage and indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russia."
The postage stamp was issued in two denominations - for packages and letters being sent within Ukraine (the equivalent of 23 UAH) and for those posted abroad (the equivalent of €1.40).