The chaplain, Olexander Chokov, are among the many priests accompanying Virozub

“New marines asserted that they had been bombed hence this new Moskva cruiser got fired numerous salvos. What was in fact the males to do?” told you Chokov. “That they had nothing to struggle with, merely servers firearms and you will small-arms.

“The new frontrunner determined, took obligation to conserve the brand new lifestyle of your 80 people who was in fact on the area. They boosted the white banner and you will surrendered.”

One to nights, brand new Ukrainian prisoners was transferred to Simferopol airport and you will loaded onto an Il-76 armed forces routes. Virozub mentioned in the 200 some body aboard – the newest Snake Isle team, the fresh new Sapphire’s team, along with Ukrainian troops who have been seized about Kherson region.

Serhiy Rylsky, who was accountable for brand new lighthouse into Serpent Isle, remembers that planes arrived regarding the Russian town of Kursk, where in actuality the prisoners was brought to an effective tent go camping. Virozub states the camp was a student in the latest town out of Shebekino, from the Russian edging region of Belgorod. Once weekly on camp, the fresh new inmates were delivered to a pre-trial detention middle in the city out-of Stary Oskol, inside the Belgorod.

‘Please bring father home’

It absolutely was a matter of weeks through to the first inmates have been put-out. Rylsky, the new lighthouse director, invested a month for the Russian captivity, coming back family to your twenty four February. He prices one to 29 someone, mainly civilians, had been replaced on that time. The group integrated new staff of your own Sapphire – however the fresh priests and the doc who used them.

Olexander Mutichko, senior secretary master into Sapphire, states these were exchanged to the mainly Russian team of tanker Millennial Soul, have been captured because of the Ukrainian pushes inside the later February.

Three days pursuing the change, Volodymyr Zelenskyi is questioned inside a job interview on the early in the day records you to definitely the newest defenders out-of Serpent Island got the been killed. Now, the guy mentioned that not all of them got died, hence the others got simply came back household.

“Russia showed up with this particular offer. I exchanged him or her without hesitation. That’s it. Individuals who died is, genuinely, heroes. And people who live – i traded him or her,” the fresh new chairman told you.

From inside the February, pursuing the Zelenskyi’s report, the latest prisoners’ family received calls regarding Ukraine’s Condition Suggestions Bureau, and that gathers information about caught soldiers.

Several groups of seized troops was indeed returned within the transfers the next day. Bohdan Hotskyi, chief of your own border shields, returned house on 19 April.

A family doctor as well as 2 of one’s priests have been toward board brand new Sapphire was basically together with exchanged in the April. But Virozub, new priest, was just put out in may, immediately after 68 months in the captivity.

Based on Hotskyi, the newest border shield master, 19 members of his edging guard people will always be in the captivity so far.

“I am hoping he’s released. I inquire every skilled authorities to obtain involved in so it processes, as they [the latest defenders] have captivity for over 6 months,” the guy said.

Family relations of your seized defenders have been welcome to help you Kyiv towards the 5 September in order to meet authorities at the Matching Head office for the Cures away from Prisoners out of Battle, with total responsibility getting Ukrainian POWs. Following meeting, relatives informed Graty you to definitely 29 marines stayed inside the captivity – up until 31 October, when one of them premiered thru a prisoner replace with Russia. Today, 47 Serpent Isle workers are inside the Russian captivity.

“My personal guy and his awesome wife recently had a baby boy. escort services in Corpus Christi He had been 6 months dated when their father went to this new isle,” told you Tetiana Mykolaivna, mother out of marine Olexander Kardashev. “He cannot even comprehend the guy has had 1st steps, that he is just starting to speak, that he has experienced 1st white teeth.