UPDATE: There is now a "strong belief" that a group of 13 Ukrainian border guards thought to be dead are actually still alive, officials have stated.

Despite initial beliefs that all border guards perished in the alleged attack, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGSU) said on Saturday, per The Independent: "We [have a] strong belief that all Ukrainian defenders of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island may be alive."

In a post shared to the SBGSU Facebook page, officials wrote: "After receiving information about their possible location, the [border guard service] together with the Armed Forces of Ukraine are conducting work on identifying our soldiers."

"Preliminary information that border guards may be dead came before the defenders lost contact," the post continued, adding: "We sincerely hope that the boys will return home as soon as possible, and the information received at the time of the attack on the death will not be confirmed. Glory to Ukrainian defenders."

In another update reported by BBC News, Russia's account of the story differs dramatically from what has been reported elsewhere.

BBC News states that Moscow has said there were 82 Ukrainian soldiers on the island at the time, with all of them surrendering voluntarily. Russian officials added that there was never any mention of a sea or land strike and there were no casualties.

ORIGINAL Ukraine honors 13 soldiers who died defending tiny island and allegedly told Russian warship: 'Go f*** yourself'

Ukraine has honored 13 soldiers who died bravely defending a tiny island in the Black Sea, before defiantly telling a Russian warship: "Go f*** yourself."

As reported by BBC News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Thursday that all 13 border guards "died heroically". He also added that each of the guards would be awarded the posthumous title of "Hero of Ukraine".

"On our Zmiinyi Island, defending it to the last, all the border guards died heroically but did not give up," Zelensky said.

Ukrainian officials state that the guards were killed by sea and air strikes - but Russia has reportedly denied the claims, saying that the soldiers all surrendered.

According to a purported and unverified audio exchange - which has been shared by Ukrainian government officials
- a Russian soldier aboard a vessel says: "This is a military warship. This is a Russian warship.

You can listen to the audio exchange below:

"I propose you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you will be bombed."

CNN and BBC News report that a Ukrainian solder on the island responded by saying: "Russian warship, go f*** yourself."

Zmiinyi Island - known as Snake Island - is located in the Black Sea approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) off Ukraine's southern coast. Its total land area measures less than one-tenth of a square mile, per Insider.

Back in August of 2021, President Zelensky chose to conduct free-ranging interviews with Ukrainian media from the island in an effort to spotlight the upcoming Crimea Platform summit.

When asked why he chose Zmiinyi Island as the location, he said that the island is highly symbolic, adding: "This island, like the rest of our territory, is Ukrainian land, and we will defend it with all our might."

Russia launched its "special military operation" against Ukraine on Thursday - sending forces by sea, land, and air. President Zelensky stated that 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed on that first day.

The Washington Post has reported that Ukrainian civilians have now been signing up to defend the nation, after heeding calls from the government to help fight in any way they can.

On Saturday morning, Zelensky shared a video of himself in the streets of Kyiv, and once again vowed to continue defending the country.

"I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this," he said. "That is it. That's all I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine."

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There is now a "strong belief" that a group of 13 Ukrainian border guards thought to be dead are actually still alive, officials have stated.

On Thursday, a small group of 13 border guards defending Ukraine's small Zmiinyi Island (Snake Island) were believed to have died after being confronted by a Russian warship.

As reported by BBC News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that all 13 border guards "died heroically" as a result of sea and air strikes, and that the country would be honoring each of them with the posthumous title of "Hero of Ukraine".

Russia denied the claims, with BBC News stating that Russia's account of the story differs dramatically from what has been reported elsewhere.

According to BBC News, Moscow has said there were 82 Ukrainian soldiers on the island at the time, with all of them surrendering voluntarily. Russian officials added that there was never any mention of a sea or land strike and there were no casualties.

The story went viral on social media after a leaked audio exchange - allegedly between the Russian aboard the warship and the Ukrainian border guards - was shared by Ukrainian government officials.

You can listen to the audio exchange below:

In the audio - which The Independent reports has been verified by Ukraine’s interior ministry - the Russian warship can be heard telling the border guards: "I propose you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you will be bombed."

In response, a Ukrainian border guard on the island responded by saying: "Russian warship, go f*** yourself."

However, despite initial beliefs that all border guards perished in the alleged attack, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGSU) said on Saturday, per The Independent: "We [have a] strong belief that all Ukrainian defenders of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island may be alive."

In a post shared to the SBGSU Facebook page, officials wrote: "After receiving information about their possible location, the [border guard service] together with the Armed Forces of Ukraine are conducting work on identifying our soldiers."

"Preliminary information that border guards may be dead came before the defenders lost contact," the post continued, adding: "We sincerely hope that the boys will return home as soon as possible, and the information received at the time of the attack on the death will not be confirmed. Glory to Ukrainian defenders."

Zmiinyi Island - known as Snake Island - is located in the Black Sea approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) off Ukraine's southern coast. Its total land area measures less than one-tenth of a square mile, per Insider.

Featured image credit: imageBROKER / Alamy

Ukraine has revealed that the civilian sailors from Snake Island - who famously told a Russian warship to "go f*** yourself" - are returning home.

The border guards first hit headlines back on February 24 when an audio file surfaced online revealed an exchange between the Ukrainians on Snake Island and an approaching Russian warship.

Per CNN, Russian forced instructed on those on the island to "lay down their weapons" and "surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary victims."

In response, one Ukrainian border guard on the island said: "Russian warship, go f*** yourself."

You can listen to the audio exchange below:

And despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially reporting that those on the island had "died heroically", it was later revealed by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine that they had all survived - but had been taken hostage by Russia.

Zmiinyi Island - known as Snake Island - is located in the Black Sea approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) off Ukraine's southern coast. Its total land area measures less than one-tenth of a square mile, per Insider.

Now, as reported by the Daily Mail, the Ukrainian Parliament has taken to social media to announce that 19 Ukrainian sailors - including the Snake Island border guards - had been exchanged for 11 Russian sailors, in what officials called "the first exchange of war hostages".

Sharing an image of its sailors, the tweet added that the exchange was made under the order of President Zelensky.

The tweet read in full: 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')".

A follow-up tweet stated: "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.

"Under the exchange terms, the lifeboat will also be returned to #Ukraine and sent to a Turkish port."

Ukraine's deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, has also further explained that the 11 Russian civilian sailors had been rescued from a sunken ship near the port city of Odesa, on the Black Sea.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a question to Russian soldiers: "Why should you die?"

The leader's message came part of of a video address uploaded to social media in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

In the video, Zelensky says that Ukraine is approaching its eventual victory, telling his people: "The enemy is confused. They did not expect such resistance. They believed in their propaganda, which has been lying about us for decades."

Zelensky then says that Russian soldiers are abandoning their equipment and helping to supply the Ukrainian army.

He then directly addresses Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, saying: "Russian conscripts! Listen to me very carefully. Russian officers! You’ve already understood everything. You will not take anything from Ukraine. You will take lives. There are a lot of you. But your life will also be taken."

Watch Zelensky's address in the video below:

He then asks: "But why should you die? What for? I know that you want to survive."

The President then revealed that conversations between Russian soldiers are being overheard by Ukrainian intercepts.

"We hear what you really think about this senseless war, about this disgrace, and about your state," he adds. "Your conversations with each other. Your calls home to your family. We hear it all. We draw conclusions. We know who you are."

Zelensky then offered the Russian invaders a "chance to survive" on behalf of the people of Ukraine.

"If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you the way people are supposed to be treated. As people, decently. In a way, you were not treated in your army. And in a way, your army does not treat ours. Choose," Zelensky said.

As reported by CNN, Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podoliak has revealed that the country will soon have its fourth round of talks with Russia.

In a short video posted to Twitter, Podoliak said: "Negotiations. 4th round. On peace, ceasefire, immediate withdrawal of troops & security guarantees. Hard discussion."

He added: "Although Russia realizes the nonsense of its aggressive actions, it still has a delusion that 19 days of violence against [Ukrainian] peaceful cities is the right strategy."

If you would like to know how you can support the Ukrainian people at this time, click HERE to find a list of organizations and groups dedicated to helping those affected by this crisis.

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Ukraine's Defence Ministry has instructed civilians to "make Molotov cocktails" on social media in an effort to "neutralize the occupier".

As reported by Reuters, people were instructed to assemble the petrol bombs via a tweet from the official Twitter page of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The tweet was shared on Friday, following Russian military forces attacking Ukraine by land, sea, and air. According to the Ukrainian government, the invasion has resulted in countless deaths and injuries. Russia's "special military operation" has subsequently led to Ukrainian civilians seeking asylum across the borders or taking refuge in locations such as subway stations.

Directed at the people in the Obolon district in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, the tweet read: "In Obolon, the enemy DRG. We ask citizens to inform about the movement of equipment!

"Make Molotov cocktails, neutralize the occupier! Peaceful residents - be careful! Do not leave the house!"

Per CNN, one Ukrainian TV network also broadcast instructions for citizens on how to make Molotov cocktails

The television segment reportedly showed an individual constructing the crude explosive - also known as a "poor man's grenade" or "bottle bomb". They could be seen pouring a colored fluid into a glass bottle, as a diagram depicted a a cloth wick acting as a stopper.

Overnight, CNN has reported that explosions and gunfire have continued to be heard throughout the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

And despite rumors that he had fled the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has shared several videos of himself from the capital over the last 24 hours.

In a video shared to social media on Saturday morning, Zelensky said: "I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this."

"That is it. That's all I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine," he added.

In an official address earlier today, Zelensky called for support from "friends" of Ukraine, saying: "Everyone who can defend Ukraine abroad please do it directly in a united way."

"We fought off enemy attacks. We’re defending our country. Kyiv & key places near the capital are under our control. The occupiers wanted to capture our capital and install their puppets like Donetsk. We broke their idea," he added.

Zelensky also stated that any friends of the country that wanted to "come over" would be supplied with a weapon by Ukraine.

"We are successfully holding back the enemy's attack. We know that we are defending our land and the future of our children," he said.

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