“Russian warship go fuck yourself!” – Internet meme, a phrase uttered on February 24, 2022, by a Ukrainian border guard in response to a Russian warship’s offer to surrender. The event took place during the attack on Snake Island during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the “Russian warship” – the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the missile cruiser Moscow, was a participant in the event, and the author of the phrase was Ukrainian border guard Roman Valentinovich Gribov.
The phrase has become a popular motto for various reasons, such as its use in media and art. It’s also frequently used by government officials to deliver messages at mass rallies or public speeches; you can find this word on t-shirts worn by people all over the country!
Further fates of the participants of the event: Roman Gribov, after the exchange of prisoners, was awarded. The cruiser “Moscow” sank on April 14, 2022 (according to the Russian Ministry of Defense – as a result of an explosion of ammunition and during the subsequent towing of the ship to the port. According to the statement of the Ukrainian side and expert opinion – it was the result of the Ukrainian Navy’s Neptun missile system strike of April 13, 2022).
On June 30, Snake Island itself was returned to Ukrainian control.
Let’s get back to the stamps and postcards ☝️
On April 12, Ukrposhta presented and put into circulation the first martial law postage stamps “Russian warship, go…!” («Русскій воєнний корабль, іді …!») On the day of the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine on February 24, a phrase spoken by Ukrainian border guards, defenders of Snake Island, to the Russian ship on the offer to surrender has become a symbol for bravery and an indomitable spirit among Ukrainians in the struggle against Russia.
The promotional event “First Day” featuring Igor Smelyansky, General Director of Ukrposhta, and the writer of the popular saying, defender of Fr. Snakey Marine Roman Gribov occurred at Kiev’s Main Post Office. At the same time as Kiev, all regions in Ukraine held their own promotional events with special postmarks reading “Russian warship go…!”
The person who redemption ceremony in Lviv was the one who made the sketch of the postage stamp and envelope “The First Day”, they are also winner of the national competition for best sketch for a postage stamp. The Crimean citizen Boris Groh’s work had more votes than anyone else – 8K Facebook and Instagram users voted for it.
The postage stamp “Russian warship, go…!” was produced by Ukrposhta in two denominations: for paying postal items inside Ukraine (denomination F, equivalent to 23 UAH) and sending stuff abroad (denomination W, equal to $1.50).
As of mid-April, 700,000 stamps had been issued, of which 200,000 were reserved for Russian-controlled Ukrainian territories, including Crimea. Two sheets of stamps, along with a T-shirt, were given to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in gratitude for Britain’s support of Ukraine.
Russian Warship Go F Yourself in Ukrainian Translation (in Ukrainian)
On February 24, 2022, the Russian flagship cruiser Moskva and patrol boat Vasily Bykov began an assault on Snake Island, a Ukrainian island in the Black Sea. It is a small island with only one village, and at the time of the attack there were fewer than 30 people living there. There was also a contingent of 13 border guards stationed on the island. The troops were urged to give up their weapons in exchange for their lives, which they firmly refused.
The following exchange, which originally took place in Russian, has been translated:
Russian warship: “Snake Island, I, Russian warship, repeat the offer: put down your arms and surrender, or you will be bombed. Have you understood me? Do you copy?”
Ukrainian 1 to Ukrainian 2: “That’s it, then. Or, do we need to fuck them back off?”
Ukrainian 2 to Ukrainian 1: “Might as well.”
Ukrainian 1: “Russian warship, go fuck yourself.”
How to Say Russian Warship Go F Yourself in Ukrainian
Russkiy voyennyy korabl' idi na khuy (on russian)Rosiysʹkyy viysʹkovyy korabelʹ, idy na khuy (on ukrainian)On 26 February 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a railway junction that connected Ukrainian and Russian railways. By doing so, they prevented the Russian army from using railroads to transport military equipment or personnel into Ukraine. The Russian military asked Ukraine to restore the junction for humanitarian reasons, but the Ukrainian dispatcher said no – “Russian train, go fuck yourself!” (“Російський поїзд, йди нахуй!”).
On 27 February 2022, a Russian ship requested fuel from a Georgian oil tanker. The latter replied “Russian ship, go fuck yourself” (Російський корабель, йди нахуй). The Russians soon ran out of fuel, so they were told to start rowing.
On March 7, 2022, the Ukrainian military allegedly attacked the Russian ship Vasily Bykov, which had previously bombarded Snake Island and was steaming toward Odesa. They celebrated with “We fucking hit them!” and “Russian ship, go fuck yourself” (Російський корабель, іди нахер). Listen on FoxNews
Public Perception
The BBC’s Russian Service noted that “some users put the obscene phrase uttered by Ukrainian border guards on their avatars in social networks”.
The American newspaper Navy Times wrote that Ukrainians in social networks took the phrase as a call for unity, and it was picked up by Ukraine’s supporters around the world.
In turn, the news magazine The Week compared the phrase to “Remember the Alamo,” a phrase used by Texas mission defenders in the 19th century.
Thank you for the brief history. I often see people wearing similar T-shirts or Ukrainian symbols. There are a lot of refugees in the US. It’s a shame.