Reports are coming in of heroism of Ukrainians who are standing defiant in the face of naked Russian aggression.
One particular story has gone viral on Twitter, TikTok and other social media.
It is the story of the battle of Snake Island - where 13 lightly armed Ukrainian guards on a tiny island in the Black Sea refused to surrender to a Russian warship. They held their ground and were killed in a bombardment.
Audio of the guards’ defiant final words has gone viral on Twitter, TikTok and other social media.
The Russian ship tells the Ukrainians: “I suggest you surrender your weapons and capitulate, otherwise I will open fire, do you copy?”
The Ukrainian guards can then be heard saying “this is it”, before they respond with: "Russian warship, go f--- yourself."
Ukrainian President Zelensky praised the guards' bravery, saying they would all be posthumously awarded war hero honours.
“On our island Zmiiny [Snake Island], defending it to the last, all the border guards died heroically. But did not give up,” he said.
"All of them will be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously. Eternal memory to those who gave their lives for Ukraine."
