Soldiers on Snake Island in the Black Sea raised the Ukrainian flag again in a symbolic action. Russian troops had previously left the heavily contested island for Odessa. The military administration there published photos on Thursday showing the raising of the flag. It bears the inscription: “Remember ‘Russian warship’, the island belongs to Ukraine!!!”
Snake Island became widely known and a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance a few days after the war started in late February. The crew of a Russian warship summoned the Snake Island garrison to lay down their weapons. Ukrainian naval infantryman Roman Hrybow replied, “Russian warship, f*** you!” The almost 32-year-old then became a folk hero.
Strategically important position
Moments later, the Russians occupied Snake Island, but withdrew a week ago after sustained Ukrainian air and artillery attacks. Ukraine sees regaining control of the island as a crucial step in lifting the Russian blockade of southern ports.
Ukrainian sources say the island’s jetty was “severely damaged” by two Russian missiles on Thursday morning. Russia later said several Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the attack. This could not be independently verified at first.
Reports that the flag had already been raised last Monday were apparently premature. Natalie Humeniuk, spokeswoman for Ukraine’s Southern Military Command, later told CNN that the flag had been returned by helicopter. After soldiers arrived on the island, it was now actually hoisted.
Kiev: Luhansk still contested
Meanwhile, Russian forces are still fighting for complete control of the Luhansk region to the east, according to Ukrainian sources. To this end, the Russians have moved some units, the Ukrainian General Staff announced on Thursday. Luhansk governor Serhiy Hajday had previously stated that even after the fall of the city of Lysychansk, fighting in the suburbs would continue. Moscow, on the other hand, has been saying for days that Russian troops are in complete control of Luhansk.
The Ukrainian General Staff also reported further Russian attacks in the neighboring Donetsk region. Around the towns of Kramatorsk and Bakhmut, several settlements were shelled with artillery. Two rocket attacks were also reported during the night from the southern Ukrainian region of Odessa.
The Russian army also reported several attacks in the Mykolayiv region of southern Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, about two Ukrainian fighter jets and a training camp of the Ukrainian army were destroyed there. Initially, this could not be checked independently.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
