Guwahati: A Ukrainian soldier blew up the bridge connecting Russian-occupied Crimea and mainland Ukraine to prevent Russian tanks from conquering his country. He sacrificed his own life in the process.
According to the Ukrainian military, Marine battalion engineer Vitaly Skakun Volodymyrovych was sent to the Henichesk bridge in the southern province of Kherson when Russian tanks entered.
The army decided that the only option to stop the Russian tanks was 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 realised, however, that he would not be able to return to safety and killed in the blast.
His act of bravery forced the Russian forces to take a longer route, thereby giving 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,” the Ukrainian military wrote in a statement.
The statement added, “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 There was an explosion right away. Our brother was killed. His heroic act significantly slowed down the push of the enemy, allowing the unit to relocate and organize defense.”
The statement concluded, “We will fight as long as we live! And as long as we are alive, we will fight!”
Meanwhile, the soldier Skakun Vitaliy Volodymyrovich will receive a state award for his gallantry after his death.
It may be mentioned that at least 130 Ukrainian “heroes” have been killed after Russia declared war on Ukraine on 24 February.