Ukrainian guards who were defending an island from Russian invasion have been posthumously honoured - after they told naval forces from Russia to 'go f**k themselves'.
The 13 guards were stationed on Snake Island (Zmiiny) on Thursday afternoon when the invading naval forces arrived on a warship.
They held their ground and were killed in a bombardment.
However, an audio clip of the guards’ defiant final words has gone viral on 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."
All 13 will be honoured with the title of 'Hero of Ukraine' - the country's highest honour.
“On our island Zmiiny [Snake Island], defending it to the last, all the border guards died heroically. But did not give up,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"All of them will be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously. Eternal memory to those who gave their lives for Ukraine."
"We have been left alone to defend our state,” Zelenskyy said in a video address early on Friday morning.
"Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone."
