Soldier who told Russian warship ‘Go f— yourself’ honoured with medal

In a low-key ceremony, an award was presented to border guard Roman Hrybov for services to the Cherkasy region.

The Ukrainian soldier who won the hearts of people around the world when he told a Russian battleship to “Go f— yourself” has been awarded a military medal.

The award was presented to border guard Roman Hrybov on Tuesday for services to the Cherkasy region, according to Cherkasy Regional State Administration.

Hrybov was one of 13 soldiers defending tiny Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, in the Black Sea during Russia’s multi-pronged invasion. Hrybov and his fellow soldiers were though to have been killed in the February 24 attack on the island.

In a clip verified by Ukrainian officials, a Russian soldier on-board an approaching battleship warned the Snake Island guards of the incoming invasion: “This is a military warship. This is a Russian military warship. I suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and needless casualties. Otherwise, you will be bombed.”

Two Ukrainian guards are heard speaking between themselves before one of them, reportedly Hrybov, responded “Russian warship, go f— yourself.”

The phrase has since become a motto and rallying cry of sorts for Ukrainian people, with the slogan seen on traffic signs and billboards across the war-torn nation.

Four days after the Russian warship invaded Snake Island (and after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the death of the soldiers in his address to the nation), Hrybov and the other soldiers were found to have survived and taken captive by Russian forces, the Ukrainian Navy reported.