Russian warship, go fuck yourself!
"Russian warship, go fuck yourself!" (Russian: Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй, tr. Russky voyenny korabl, idi na khuy), is a response to the Russian warship's call to surrender by Ukrainian border guards stationed on Snake Island on 24 February 2022, during the Russian attack on Snake Island in Ukraine. This phrase became one of the symbols of Ukraine's struggle against the Russian occupiers. Those who opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine were so impressed with the bold answer that it went viral on various social media platforms.
The recordings were circulated on the internet, causing an uproar. The 13 border guards who were thought to have died in the attack were honoured on social media for their bravery, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced he would "posthumously" award them with the highest Ukrainian honour, the Hero of Ukraine.
The Week compared the phrase to "Remember the Alamo" from the 19th century Texas Revolution. The phrase also has been compared to the Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, when the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Mehmed IV asked the surrender of the Zaporozhian Cossacks (which lived in modern Central Ukraine), who refused, answering with a profanity-laden letter.
On 28 February 2022, the Ukrainian Navy posted on its Facebook page that all the border guards of the island were thought to be alive and detained by the Russian Navy.
Derived usages
Snowclones replacing the word for "warship" have appeared on road signs and elsewhere. On 26 February 2022, Ukrainian Armed Forces blew up the railroad junction connecting Ukrainian and Russian railways in order to prevent the Russian army from transporting military equipment and personnel into Ukraine by rail. When the Russian military asked Ukraine to restore the junction for humanitarian reasons, the Ukrainian dispatcher shot back, "Russian train, go fuck yourself!".
See also
- "Glory to Ukraine"
- Lighthouse and naval vessel urban legend
- Molon labe, classic Spartan expression of defiance
- Putin khuylo!
- "NUTS!"