Ukrainian "Salut" to the
Russian Warship 

Ukrainian "Salut" to the Russian Warship

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On February 24, 2022, at 4:00 a.m., Russian rockets crossed the Ukrainian border, marking the onset of a full-scale invasion ordered by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Later that day, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, the cruiser Moskva (Moscow), approached the strategically significant Ukrainian Snake Island, where a small contingent of Ukrainian Marines was stationed.

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The captain of the Russian warship issued a stern demand for the Ukrainian Marines to surrender, stating:

 

"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down your weapons and surrender, or you will be destroyed."

 

In response to this demand, one of the Ukrainian Marines delivered a defiant and now-famous retort:

 

"Russian warship, go f— yourself."

 

This bold reply quickly became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, loyalty to their country, and fearlessness.

 

Before the Russian-Ukrainian war began, many countries had a deep-rooted fear of the Russian army. This fear stemmed mainly from the USSR's victory in World War II. Soviet-Russian propaganda had long cultivated the myth of Russian military might, omitting the crucial assistance of allies such as the USA and Great Britain, without whom the USSR might have been overwhelmed by Nazi Germany. Putin's propaganda successfully continued to perpetuate the illusion of the Russian army's power and invincibility.

 

Consequently, world leaders believed Putin's assertions that he could seize significant portions of Ukrainian territory with ease within three to four days. Trusting Putin's words implicitly, most world leaders recalled their embassy representatives from Ukraine.

 

However, due to historical processes, which we will discuss later, Ukraine became an exception and met the enemy not with "bread and salt" but with heavy gunfire. From the first days of the war, Ukraine astonished the world with its unyielding resilience against the Russian aggressor. One notable example of this resilience was the thirteen marines on Snake Island.

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These thirteen Ukrainian marines were aware of the grim forecasts from various generals and politicians but remained undeterred. They understood their mission and remained faithful to it. Snake Island is a small piece of land in the Black Sea; however, it holds significant strategic importance for Ukraine.

 

The thirteen Ukrainian border guards were the first to engage in battle with the Russian navy and air force in the Black Sea. Their defiant response and bravery quickly became legendary worldwide. In honor of this event, Ukraine issued a memorial postage stamp on April 12, bearing a symbolic "address" to the Russian ship.

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The story took a more dramatic turn on April 13, 2022. Just one day after the new stamp's official release, two Ukrainian Neptune missiles hit the same Russian warship, Moskva. Ukrainian military officials confirmed that the cruiser Moskva, the Russian navy's flagship in the Black Sea, had finally reached the "destination" shown by the Snake Island Marines on February 24, 2022—the first day of the war.

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To hide the success of Ukrainian missiles, Russian propaganda claimed that the disaster happened not due to a missile strike but because Russian sailors failed to follow safety protocols and were smoking in the wrong place. From such Russian "news," the world only smiled sarcastically and sincerely wished that as many smokers as possible appeared in the Russian army and navy; thanking them, we hope to see many more unique postage stamps with the inscription "With "love" from Ukraine to Russia..."