New Delhi: A Ukrainian soldier blew himself up to demolish a bridge that connected Russian-occupied Crimea to mainland Ukraine in order to prevent Russian forces from entering his nation.
According to the Ukrainian military, when Russian tanks attacked, marine battalion engineer Vitaly Skakun Volodymyrovych was sent to the Henichesk bridge in the southern district of Kherson.
The army concluded that the only way to stop the Russian tanks would be to blow up the bridge and Volodymyrovych volunteered to do it, according to a statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
He quickly realized, however, that he would not be able to return to safety and be killed in the blast. Because of his gallantry, Russian soldiers were forced to travel a longer path, allowing the Ukrainian military more time to respond.
“On this difficult day for our country, when the Ukrainian people give away to the Russian occupiers in all directions, one of the hardest places on the map of Ukraine was the Crimean intersection, where one of the first enemies met a separate marine battalion. In order to stop the promotion of the tank column, a decision was made to overthrow the Geniche Car Bridge,” reads the statement.
“The engineer of a separate battalion sailor Skakun Vitaliy Volodymyrovich was called to perform this task. The bridge was replaced, but he didn’t have time to get out of there. Our brother was killed. His heroic act significantly slowed down the push of the enemy, allowing the unit to relocate and organize the defense. We will fight as long as we live! And as long as we are alive we will fight,” the statement further reads.
Skakun Vitaliy Volodymyrovich, the soldier, will be honored posthumously for his valour.
On Thursday, Russia declared war on Ukraine. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, more than 130 Ukrainian “heroes” have been slain since then.
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