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Ukrainian soldiers thought to have died while defending an island after telling a Russian warship to “go f*** yourself”, may still be alive.

This latest development was reported by The Guardian and Washington Post.

Ukraine released statement

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine said in a recent statement posted on Facebook on Feb. 26 (Ukrainian time): “We [have a] strong belief that all Ukrainian defenders of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island may be alive.”

The statement added: “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.”

It said preliminary information that border guards may be dead came before the men had lost contact.

“We sincerely hope that the boys will return home as soon as possible,” it said, adding that it hoped that reports of the soldiers’ death proved incorrect.

The statement added that Ukrainian officials lost communication with the guards after infrastructure was destroyed.

The statement also said: “Glory to Ukrainian defenders!”

Russia releases photos purportedly of Snake Island soldiers

The Russian Defense Ministry has also since come out to claim that the Ukrainian servicemen are in fact still alive after "voluntarily" surrendering to Russian troops.

Russia's account of what happened were put up on Feb. 25 (Ukrainian time).

Photos released by Russia purportedly showed the men boarding buses, as well as given bottled water and food.

Russia has even said the men will be released and be allowed to return to their families.

A total of 82 Ukrainian soldiers on the island had surrendered to Russia voluntarily, the statement by the invader said.

It made no mention of carrying out strikes or inflicting casualties on those on the island.

Russian media also reported that the Ukrainian servicemen on the island had been sent to Sevastopol in Crimea, according to the statement Russia released.

However, the authenticity of the information is still uncertain.

New info contradicts Ukrainian president's announcement

A day before these clarifications by the invader, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky had promised to posthumously decorate "the heroic deceased border guards".

Zelensky's announcment came after Ukraine lost contact with its forces defending Snake Island following Russia's strikes from the air and sea, officials in Kyiv said.

Analysis: Fog of war

The story about Ukrainian soldiers giving up their lives in their final stand in the face of Russian aggression quickly circulated in Ukraine and around the world.

It served as a powerful rallying cry as able-bodied Ukrainian men took up arms issued by their government to defend their territory.

Damage-wise, Saturday's official clarification by Ukraine flew in the face of president Zelensky's rousing announcement that those who died on Snake Island will be honoured posthumously.

The contradiction, as a result of Ukraine setting the record straight within two days, appears to have not affected support for them.

The soldiers' possible survival also failed to make waves as compared to the earlier news that they had died.

This act of spreading unverified information to potentially swing public opinion in an age of instantaneous communication has worked well since the onset of the war, as Russia has also sought to seed news -- real and fake -- in its own set of propaganda by latching on to the fog of war to create narratives.

Raw war footage, as well as unverified and doctored media, were already expected when it became clear the invasion was confirmed and underway on Feb. 24.

Background

Initial reports said the 13 border guards had died after refusing to surrender Snake Island, which sits 300km (186 miles) west of Crimea, from a Russian air and sea bombardment on Thursday, Feb. 24.

“I am a Russian warship,” a voice from the invaders said.

“I ask you to lay down your arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary deaths. Otherwise, you will be bombed.”

The Ukrainians responded defiantly.

“Russian warship,” the Ukrainians said, “go f*** yourself”.

Snake Island is ruled by Ukraine but is located close to the coast of Romania.

It is strategically important.

Capturing the island will let Russia claim territorial waters stretching 12 nautical miles out to sea.

They cover important shipping channels to the port cities of Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kherson, and can deprive shipments to Ukraine if captured.

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