Hero Ukrainian soldier 'blows himself up to destroy bridge' and stop Russian invasion forces ...

[left-of-center2012]

A HERO Ukrainian soldier blew himself up to destroy a bridge and stop Russian forces from storming in from Crimea. Generals hailed the sacrifice of Vitaly Skakun Volodymyrovych for halting a column of Russian tanks at Henichesk, in the southern Kherson region.

The brave engineer had volunteered for the dangerous mission to rig the bridge with mines, an Armed Forces official said. It is a key strategic pinch point linking annexed Russian-occupied Crimea and mainland Ukraine. As Putin's forces raced towards him, Vitaliy realised he did not have time to set a fuse and get to safety.

"The bridge was mined, but he didn’t manage to get away from there," said the General Staff of the Armed Forces. "According to his brothers in arms, Vitaly got in touch [with them] and said he was going to blow up the bridge.
"Immediately after an explosion rang out."

Skakun, a military engineer, was hailed by his comrades for "significantly slowing down the advance of the enemy". It also allowed Ukrainian military units to regroup and redeploy its defences, defence forces said.

https://www.the-sun.com/news/4771553/ukrainian-soldier-dies-blowing-up-bridge-russian-tanks/

[SheltieLover]

1. A hero!

[COL Mustard]

19. On Geroi.

On geroi. (He's a hero.)

[Cha]

61. TY

💙

[COL Mustard]

65. It's the little bit of Russian I know

Or think I know.

[madaboutharry]

2. RIP Mr. Skagun.

[ItsjustMe]

3. A man of great courage

[Tadpole Raisin]

4. Warmongers like Putin and his enablers could care less about the human cost.

Six months ago this young man had his life ahead of him as well as family and friends who loved him.

It didn’t have to be this way but war, often fought in the name of religion, is usually nothing but a grab for money and power. He paid the price to protect his country. RIP.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. May he rest in peace

in a place of green pastures, and may his family be comforted. You are a hero, sir. Your country will remember you.

[underpants]

6. Wow. 🕯

[sky_masterson]

7. Makes me want to cry

Legit Hero.

[Me.]

8. 💐

[DVRacer]

9. May Valhalla welcome him with open arms

[Ligyron]

67. There ya go.

[flying rabbit]

76. ...

Respect.:valkyrie:

[demmiblue]

10. ...

[relayerbob]

11. RIP, Hero Skakun

[Wild blueberry]

12. .....

[CaptainTruth]

13. A true hero...

[onecaliberal]

14. A real Hero.

[lefthandedskyhook]

15. We are crying for him

at my house. Salutations to all soldiers today

[TomSlick]

16. Putin has underestimated the Ukrainians.

Ukraine is an ancient country. It's people see themselves as the descendants of the Zaporozhian Cossacks.

I expect them to fight to the last.

[lefthandedskyhook]

30. Putin will get his ass handed to him

soon i hope

[electric_blue68]

36. My 2 gen Ukrainian-American dad took me, and my sister to see Taras Bulba...

when we were kids staring Yul Brenna, Tony Curtis. Yul was s Cossaak. I was 9, I still remember the theme music.

(In this movie Poland was the enemy)

[lefthandedskyhook]

37. The history is, of course complex

Worthy of study

[electric_blue68]

40. Yeah, it is! I've read some since the '13/'14 attacks.

[soldierant]

71. That score was by Franz Waxman,

who I don't think ever wrote a bad score, but yes, that was one of his best. I listen to classical radio stations, most of which (maybe all by now) have come around to realize that filme music is just as respectable as incidental music for plays, some of which was written by Purcell, Beethoven, Schbert, Grieg, and the like ... and I hear this score from time to time. Very excitingx

[electric_blue68]

78. Ah, ty. Interesting about incidental music for plays.

[FakeNoose]

17. This is an inspiring story, he made the supreme sacrifice for his country

[lastlib]

18. Inspiring! A true hero!

I wish Donald tRump had his courage and spirit of self- sacrifice!

[niyad]

53. you nearly owed me a keyboard.

[Sherman A1]

20. Hero

[AZLD4Candidate]

21. Ukranian national hero right there!

I know propaganda is a bad word, but it is not being used in that context:

If Ukrainian soldiers needed something to rally behind, this soldier's act would be great Ukrainian propaganda for that. "He gave his life willingly for his life to stop the Russians. Let's all rally behind his example and defeat the invaders."

[KPN]

22. This is just so damned sad. All because of one megalomaniac. May he rest in peace and forever

be remembered for his courageously selfless act.

[love_katz]

23. .....

[turbinetree]

24. This very young man....supported his country and its fledging democracy....

[pazzyanne]

25. Peaceful passage for you, sir!

[happy feet]

26. RIP

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. He is a true Hero! May Vitaly Skakun Volodymyrovych rest in peace.

[dixiechiken1]

28. My god...

[Snackshack]

29. Sad

R.I.P.


The continuing stream of chaos, drama, violence & death the citizens of the World have had to put up with, fix and fight back against since 2016 (actually farther back then that) all caused by the same small handful of people over and over is astonishing. That they have been able to continuously do so without much interference or being stopped is a very big problem and needs to be dealt with.

[onetexan]

31. HERO

Rest in peace dear friend. Your sacrifice is much appreciated by not just your fellow Ukrainians, but by peace-loving people the world over

[SergeStorms]

32. The sheer will it takes to do that.

I'm in awe of the bravery and the will it took to do that. 🥺

I wonder if he had a family he left behind? I know there must be a lot of people making incredible sacrifices, but I wonder if there's somewhere to donate money to the families of these heros?

[crickets]

33. Such amazing selfless courage.

[hamsterjill]

34. John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Respect. Gratitude. Sadness.

[electric_blue68]

35. Teary eyed... RIP Hero

Strength to all who grieve for you.

[Evolve Dammit]

38. What an incredible self-sacrifice.

[calimary]

39. God rest his soul in Heaven.

Ukraine has its first martyr - at least as far as we know. But there are probably more.



DAMMIT. This whole mess makes me want to cry.

[SunSeeker]

41. Now THAT is a hero. Condolences to his family. nt

[sarge43]

42. Rest in light, Soldier. Duty done, over and above.

[krispos42]

43. Posthumous awarding of the Ukrainian equivalent of the Medal of Honor

Is what's needed here.

[patphil]

44. It demonstrates the difference between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine is fighting for home and family. Russia is fighting for Putin's ego.

Invading armies always have a much harder time conquering a nation than they think.
And even if the Russians "win" they will have to keep what they stole...an even harder task.

[UpInArms]

45. ...

[YoshidaYui]

46. Wow

[Demovictory9]

47. ..😰

[ybbor]

48. Breaks my heart!

So unselfish! What a horrible decision that young man was forced to make!

Putin is evil for causing this unnecessary bloodshed!

Tragic!

[Catherine Vincent]

49. Braveheart, Ukranian style

[BigBearJohn]

50. OMG sitting here crying my eyes out

[BigBearJohn]

51. OMG sitting here crying my eyes out

[niyad]

52. Rest in power, brave soul.

[roamer65]

54. That's a hero.

[liberalla]

55. I'm in awe of the courage and selflessness of this young man. An amazing act!

[colorado_ufo]

56. Hero, and

my heart goes out to his family and friends.

[BigmanPigman]

57. ....

[markie]

58. so angry, so sad

[c-rational]

59. A true hero. An inspiring act of courage and love for his country.

[Cha]

60. Ohhh..

:💙

[trof]

62. This ain't Viet Nam. This is Afghanistan.

In Viet Nam, the people didn't much give a shit.
They just wanted to be left to pursue their lives.

In Afghanistan, they just wanted outsiders out, period.
They got the Russians out and they got us out.

I'm pulling for Ukraine.

[llmart]

63. This is just so heartbreaking.

Where's the hero that'll take out that mad man in Russia? And why is there always another one ready to take their place? When will we ever be rid of the likes of Trump, Putin, Kim, Osama? Is it inevitable that the world will always have these megalomaniacs?

[musclecar6]

64. Unfortunately

Yes. There’s always another Hitler, Stalin, Saddam, TFG etc coming down the track. Amoral sociopath/psychopath megalomaniac’s.

[llmart]

66. Yep.

There's always a younger version of them waiting in the wings. Who's the youngish guy in Congress (GOP of course) who likes to give the nazi salute? His name escapes me right now.

[BootinUp]

68. chokes me up. Russian warship, fuck off.

[live love laugh]

69. 😢😢😢

[paleotn]

70. That's courage.

A Ukrainian national hero. Among a number of Ukrainian national heroes.

[RicROC]

72. May the Memory of Vitaly Volodymyrovych's Unselfish Sacrifice be an Everlasting Blessing.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

73. Crying now. This isn't a movie, though it doesn't seem real.

[orangecrush]

74. No words.

[orleans]

75. ....

[SaveOurDemocracy]

77. RIP Brave young soldier...

Vitaly Skakun Volodymyrovych