Russia has announced that it is leaving Snake Island a few days after Ukraine launched a major rocket attack on the outpost.
The 100-acre piece of land is in a favorable strategic position, sits about 80 miles from Ukraine’s southern coastline in the Black Sea.
Russia seized the island early in the war and largely managed to retain control of it despite intermittent attacks by Ukraine’s armed forces.
But Ukraine last week launched a major offensive, destroying a series of Russian supply stations and air defense systems with a brutal barrage of rockets.
The withdrawal represents a major loss for Putin’s forces.
The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, Andriy Yermak, published a jubilant message this morning when he heard the news.
‘KABOOM! No more Russian troops on Snake Island. Our armed forces have done a good job, ‘Yermak wrote on Twitter, sharing a photo of smoke rising from the island after another attack last night.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that it had withdrawn its forces from the strategic outpost, but described the withdrawal as a ‘gesture of goodwill’, proving that Russia was not interfering in the export of vital grain from Ukraine amid a escalating global food crisis.
‘As a gesture of goodwill, the Russian army has completed its tasks [Snake] Island and withdrew the garrison stationed there, ‘Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, announced.
‘It has been demonstrated to the world community that Russia is not interfering in the UN’s efforts to organize a humanitarian corridor to export agricultural products from Ukraine.
“Our decision will not allow Kiev to speculate on the looming food crisis regarding their inability to export grain due to Russia’s control of the northwestern part of the Black Sea.”
Head of Zelensky’s office Andriy Yermak shared a photo this morning of smoke rising from the island after another attack last night
Aerial photos of Snake Island show the aftermath of a Ukrainian attack on a Russian Pantsir-S1 missile defense system
Russia has announced it will leave Snake Island just days after Ukraine launched a major rocket attack on the outpost (pictured here before the war)
The 100-acre piece of land is a favorable strategic position, about 80 miles from Ukraine’s southern coastline in the Black Sea. Russia seized the island early in the war and largely managed to retain control of it despite intermittent attacks by Ukraine’s armed forces.
Last week, Ukraine crushed the Russian garrison stationed on Snake Island – the second attack in as many weeks – and inflicted significant damage to Putin’s defense there.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Ukrainian troops destroyed a Russian Pantsir air defense system, a radar station and several military vehicles in a series of attacks on the island on June 20 and the early hours of June 21.
The attack came less than a week after Ukraine’s southern operational command launched attacks on the island, with satellite images showing the huge losses to Kremlin troops.
“Another attack by the Ukrainian army on Russian troops on Snake Island,” said Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.
‘The occupiers lost an air defense system Pantsir. The cleaning of our land will continue for as long as necessary. ‘
Ukraine slammed the Russian garrison on strategic Snake Island again on June 20 and 21, a few days after inflicting a ‘significant’ blow on Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea forces with an attack on the crucial outpost.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Ukrainian troops destroyed a Russian armored defense system during the strike
Snake Island is seen in an aerial photo on June 17 before Ukraine launches a series of attacks on the strategic outpost
By June 20, Ukraine had caused severe damage, with satellite images showing devastated regions
Unofficial allegations say Kiev forces used HIMARS missiles provided by the US, although this has not been confirmed.
Ukrainian mIlliterate spokeswoman Natalia Humeniuk said: ‘We continue [military] operation on Snake Island.
‘Last night, more than 10 accurate attacks were launched on the island.
“We are now reviewing the results, but we have already been informed that another Pantsir S1 anti-aircraft missile system has been hit.”
In February, the Ukrainian border guard Roman Hrybov on Snake Island announced ‘Russian warship, go f *** yourself’ to the Russian officers aboard the Moscow vessel.
Hrybov and his crew are believed to have died after Moscow bombed the island with artillery fire, but they miraculously survived and received awards when they returned to Ukrainian soil a few weeks ago in a prisoner transfer.