13 Ukrainian soldiers bombed while attacking comrades who surrender to Russia

In an attempt to rope in the US into the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin has alleged the US used UAVs to guide Ukrainian attack boats that wanted to kill 82 Ukrainian soldiers who ratted, and surrendered to Russia on the Snake Island.

“On the evening of February 25, during the evacuation of 82 Ukrainian servicemen who voluntarily laid down their arms from Zmeiny [Zmiiny] Island, 16 boats of the Ukrainian Navy, using the ‘swarm tactics,’ tried to attack the ships of the Black Sea Fleet,” Russian defense ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement on Saturday.

“During the attack by Ukrainian boats over the provocation area, US strategic unmanned aerial vehicles RQ-4 ‘Global Hawk’ and MQ-9A ‘Reaper’ were overhead.”

“It is highly likely that it was American UAVs that directed Ukrainian boats at the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet,” Konashenkov said.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, however, denied the claims.

“Russian claims that the United States was involved in any way with Ukrainian naval operations near the Zmiiny Island are false. We did not provide ISR or any other support. Chalk this up to just one more lie by the Russian Ministry of Defense,” he told CNN.

To According Konashenkov, six boats of the Ukrainian navy were destroyed but that none of the 82 Ukrainian servicemen from the island, also known as Snake Island, were injured.

All 13 Ukrainian defenders were killed in a Russian bombardment on the island Thursday, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Joe Biden has said the US will not intervene in the war as that may provoke aggression between Russia nd the US, both world powers.