Ukrainian servicemen evacuated without losses during a battle with a Russian plane in the Black Sea

Commander of the "Artan" special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Viktor Torkotyuk, in an interview with "Ukrainska Pravda," announced that in the battle between Ukrainian patrol boats and a Russian aircraft near Snake Island on August 23rd, none of the floating vessels were damaged.

"This is one of the extreme operations we conducted in the waters of the Black Sea and on the territory of Ukraine within the 1991 borders. I won't disclose the details of the operation, but I can say this: 'Thank God, we didn't lose anyone, and that's the most valuable thing for us.' None of the watercraft was damaged, and all assigned tasks were completed," Viktor Torkotyuk reported.

Viktor also mentioned that during the execution of the combat mission, a soldier with the call sign "Conan" fell overboard the patrol boat and spent 14 hours in the sea, awaiting his fellow soldiers who were forced to retreat under enemy aircraft fire.

"Just imagine: alone in the open sea, with no understanding of where to go, when help will come, but with a clear awareness that he is not only the target of our search missions but also the enemy's. So, he not only survived for 14 hours in the water, but he was also swimming in the right direction," the commander of the GRU special unit explained.

After receiving reinforcements, the soldiers immediately returned to retrieve "Conan." Despite enemy aircraft strafing, our troops managed to break through to "Conan" and successfully evacuate him.