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Wikipedia

Snake Island campaign

January 01, 1970

This article is about the 2022 campaign. For the 1788 naval battle, see Battle of Fidonisi.

Snake Island campaign
Part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date24 February – 30 June 2022
(4 months and 6 days)
Location
Snake Island, Odesa Oblast
45°15′18″N 30°12′15″E / 45.25500°N 30.20417°E / 45.25500; 30.20417
Result Ukrainian victory[1][2]
Belligerents
 Russia  Ukraine
Strength

1 missile cruiser

1 patrol ship

Per Ukrainian sources:
80 servicemen[4]
Per Russian sources:
82 soldiers (24 February)
16 boats (25 February)
Casualties and losses
Russian seizure
None
Ukrainian recapture
Per Ukrainian sources:
34+ Killed
4 "Raptor" boats
"Serna" class landing ship
"Vasily Bekh" tugboat
3 air defense systems
1 Mi-8 helicopter
3 Pantsir missile systems		 Russian seizure
Per Ukrainian sources:
80 captured[4]
1 search and rescue boat seized
Per Russian sources:
82 soldiers captured
6 boats sunk
Ukrainian recapture
Per Ukrainian sources:
10 killed
DSHK-1 Stanislav[4]
1 Su-24MR[5][6]
1 Bayraktar TB2 drone
class=notpageimage|
Location of Snake Island in the Black Sea

The Snake Island campaign was a period of Russian occupation and military conflict for Snake Island, a small, strategically located Ukrainian island in the Black Sea. On 24 February 2022, the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Navy attacked Snake Island and captured it along with its entire garrison, beginning a military occupation of the island. The attack was widely publicized when an audio clip of the Russian cruiser Moskva hailing the island's garrison over the radio demanding their surrender and being told "Russian warship, go fuck yourself" (Russian: 'Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй', romanized: Russky voyenny korabl, idi na khuy) in response went viral, along with initial inaccurate reports of the garrison's deaths.[7][8] Later on, it emerged that a civilian search and rescue ship trying to evacuate the soldiers was also captured along with the garrison. The ship, its crew, and at least one soldier were subsequently freed in prisoner exchanges.

Following the island's capture, Ukraine launched a campaign against Russian forces on and around the island, deploying anti-ship missiles against Russian naval forces as well as air, artillery, and missile strikes against Russian positions on the island itself. Russia subsequently withdrew from the island on 30 June 2022, ending the island's 126-day military occupation. Russian bombing against the island continued thereafter, reportedly causing casualties on the Ukrainian military; this has been denied by Ukraine.

Background edit

Snake Island is a rocky island with an area of less than 1 square kilometre (0.4 sq mi) that is situated off the southwestern coast of Ukraine, located 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the coast of Romania and at the southern boundary of Ukrainian territorial waters in the Black Sea.[9][10][11] This position makes it strategically important, allowing whoever controls it to blockade Odesa and dominate large parts of the Black Sea, including the area Constanta. The island also has economic importance, as within the exclusive economic zone that it projects are significant reserves of hydrocarbons.[12] The only settlement on the island is Bile, a small village built in 2007.[13]

In August 2021, as Russian forces built up around Ukraine, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a press event on the island, during which he said: "This island, like the rest of our territory, is Ukrainian land, and we will defend it with all our might."[11]

Capture by Russia edit

 
 
The Russian Navy vessels involved: cruiser Moskva (left) and patrol ship Vasily Bykov (right).

On 24 February 2022, the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,[3] Ukrainian State Border Guards announced about 18:00 local time that Snake Island had come under attack by the Russian cruiser Moskva and patrol ship Vasily Bykov[14][15] who were attempting to seize it as part of the battle for control of the Black Sea.[16]

External videos
 
  'Go fuck yourself', Ukrainian soldiers on Snake Island tell Russian ship – audio on YouTube – via The Guardian

When the Russian warship identified itself and ordered the Ukrainian soldiers stationed on the island to surrender, a border guard later identified as Roman Hrybov[17] replied, "Russian warship, go fuck yourself." (Russian: 'Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй', romanized: Russky voyenny korabl, idi na khuy).[18][19] An audio clip of the exchange was first shared by Ukrainian government official Anton Herashchenko,[20] then widely publicized by Ukrainska Pravda, and later verified as authentic by Ukrainian government sources.[21][22]

One Ukrainian border guard live-streamed the moment that the Russian warship opened fire.[23] Later in the evening, the State Border Guard Service said that communication with the island had been lost.[24] At 22:00 (01:00 Moscow Time, UTC+2), service officials announced that Russian forces had captured the island following a naval and air bombardment that destroyed all infrastructure on the island.[25][26] After the bombardment, a detachment of Russian soldiers landed and took control of Snake Island.[27]

The Russian government reported that on 25 February 2022, a squadron of 16 boats of the Ukrainian Navy attacked Russian vessels off Snake Island, also claiming that it sank six of the Ukrainian boats.[28] The Russian government further accused the United States of providing intelligence support to the Ukrainian squadron during the action. The United States denied any involvement.[29]

On 26 February 2022, Ukrainian authorities announced that the civilian search and rescue ship Sapfir had been captured by the Russian Navy off Snake Island.[30]

Status of Ukrainian soldiers and civilian sailors edit

Ukrainian government sources initially stated that 13 border guards, representing the entirety of the Ukrainian military presence on the island, were killed after refusing to surrender.[31][32] Zelenskyy announced that the border guards would be posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.[19]

Russian defence media presented an alternative version of events, claiming that 82 Ukrainian soldiers had been taken prisoner after surrendering voluntarily,[22] and had been taken to Sevastopol.[33] Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed that the prisoners had been signing pledges promising not to continue military action against Russia, and would be released soon.[34]

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine later announced that the guards might instead have been captured,[35] based on the Russian reports that they were being held as prisoners of war.[36] On 26 February 2022 it issued a statement saying that they believed "that all Ukrainian defenders of Snake Island may be alive".[37] On 28 February 2022, the Ukrainian Navy posted on its Facebook page that all the border guards of the island were alive and detained by the Russian Navy.[38][39]

Release edit

On 24 March 2022, Sapfir and 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors were released by Russia in a prisoner exchange. 10 prisoners of war were released in the same exchange, and Ukraine stated that Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk was working towards the release of Snake Island prisoners particularly.[40]

On 30 March 2022, it was reported that the soldier who made the remark toward the ship was released in a prisoner exchange, and subsequently awarded a Ukrainian medal.[41]

One year later, in May 2023, German television ZDF reported that 36 Ukrainian men continued to be Russian prisoners of war.[42]

Ukrainian counteroffensive and recapture edit

See also: Sinking of the Moskva and 2022 bombing of Odesa

On 14 April, Ukraine claimed their anti-ship missiles fired from Odesa struck and sunk the Moskva, a Russian guided missile cruiser that served as the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. This forced Russia to withdraw its ships beyond the range of the missiles, leaving the island exposed as it increased the difficulty of resupplying the occupying forces by sea.[43] From 26 to 30 April OC South claimed strikes on the Russian forces on the island left a control post hit and two anti-aircraft missile complex Strela-10 destroyed as well as 42 Russian soldiers killed.[44][45][46][47]

On 1 May, Ukrainian Air Force Command South claimed to have launched an attack on Snake Island that destroyed Russian equipment stationed there,[48] and the next day at dawn two Russian Raptor patrol and landing boats were sunk by a Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drone. Video footage was released showing the boats being struck by guided bombs followed by explosions and fires on them.[49][50]

On 7 May, Ukraine officials reported and displayed footage of a Russian Serna-class landing craft located in the Black Sea being destroyed near Snake Island by a Ukrainian Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drone.[51][52] Ukrainian Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drones were used to destroy two Tor surface-to-air missile launchers, one of which was in the process of being unloaded from the Serna-class landing craft, possibly clearing the way for a pair of Ukrainian Su-27s conducting a high-speed, low level bombing run that day.[53][54] Satellite photos seem to back up the footage,[55] but Russia claimed it was repaired and will soon return to service.[51]

Later, footage of a Ukrainian drone strike on a hovering Russian Mi-8, the marking the first known aerial kill by a drone, on Snake Island was released,[55][56] and independently verified by Reuters.[57] An additional two or three Raptor-class patrol boats were also destroyed by a TB2 drone. The Ukrainians claimed to have killed 46 Russian service members during the attacks.[58][59] Meanwhile, on the same day the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed Russian forces repelled Ukrainian attempts to retake Snake Island.[60][57] During the 7 May actions, Ukrainian forces losses according to Ukrainian media reached 10 killed and the assault craft Stanislav.[4][61]

On 9 May, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said that Russian army holding the island is an advantage for Ukraine, as they can repeatedly assault Russian targets on the island.[57] The UK Ministry of Defense reported that according to their analysis, Russia was trying to reinforce an exposed garrison on the island, where upon Ukraine had successfully launched drone attacks against resupply vessels and air defenses.[62] The status of the island is critical to both Ukraine and Russia as a military asset.[63]

On 12 May, Ukraine claimed it had attacked Russian logistics ship Vsevolod Bobrov near Snake Island while it was attempting to deliver an air defense system, causing it to catch on fire and be towed back to Sevastopol. Russia did not provide a comment on the event, and there were no reports of casualties.[64][65] On the same day, Maxar Technologies captured a satellite image of a Russian Serna-class landing craft taking evasive maneuvers from a Ukrainian missile.[66]

On 16 May, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that a Ukrainian Su-24 was shot down near the island.[67] On 1 June, Ukraine claimed that Russian forces had installed multiple rocket launchers on the island.[68]

On 17 June, Ukraine sunk the Russian tug Spasatel Vasily Bekh with two Harpoon missiles, preventing it from delivering vital supplies such as weapons and personnel and forcing Russia to rethink their position on the island. The Russians claimed that out of 33 crew members, 10 were missing and the other 23 were injured.[69][43][70][71] Three days later Ukrainian forces struck gas platforms near the island that it said Russian forces had been using by installing radio jamming equipment.[72][73] Strikes continued the next day, with Ukraine claiming the destruction of military vehicles as well as anti-aircraft and radar systems, likely a Pantsir-S1,[74] claims that Russia denied.[16] Russian officials countered that the Russian forces have intercepted all of the incoming rounds, destroyed 13 drones, and repelled an amphibious assault; this has been met with doubt by the online publication The Drive.[75]

On 27 June, Ukrainian officials released footage of Ukrainian forces conducting 10 precision strikes on the island. A second Pantsir-S1 was reportedly destroyed in the attack. The Russian MoD denied that their system was destroyed and instead claimed that their Pantsir system destroyed 12 rockets and a Ukrainian Su-25.[76] Ukraine's southern command stated that there was an ongoing operation to recapture the island.[72]

These regular attacks against the island and its resupply ships made the Russian position untenable.[43] According to Ukrainian officials, the Russian Air Force attacked Ukrainian rocket and artillery positions in the Odesa Oblast with Su-35 fighters in order to reduce the intensity of the Ukrainian attacks on Snake Island. Three Kh-31D missiles were reportedly fired, but Ukrainians claimed no casualties or damages were reported. On 29 June, Ukrainian forces claimed to have destroyed one of four helicopters, possibly a Ka-52, that were approaching the island during a search and rescue operation.[77][78]

On 30 June, Russian forces retreated in what has been described as a major Ukrainian victory and a propaganda coup.[79][80] Russia claimed that their troops had completed their assigned tasks and that the move was a "goodwill gesture" to demonstrate that Russia was not preventing the establishment of a shipping corridor to allow the export of grain from Odesa,[81] while Ukraine claimed that they forced the Russians to withdraw in two speedboats through artillery and missile attacks;[82] photos show the island enveloped in smoke.[83]

Subsequent Russian shelling edit

 
Soldiers raise the Ukrainian national flag on Snake Island, July 2022

On 1 July at around 18:00, two Russian Su-30s bombed the island in two air strikes with phosphorus bombs, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[84][85] Ukrainian officials believe these airstrikes were an attempted scorched earth tactic to destroy weapons and equipment that were left behind.[86]

On 4 July, the Ukrainian Operational Command South reported that the island was fully recaptured; a Ukrainian flag was raised over it.[87]

On 7 July, Russian Defence Ministry announced its aircraft carried out another missile strike against Snake Island, killing a number of Ukrainian troops there.[88] According to Ukrainian sources, no casualties were reported; however, a pier was "seriously damaged" as a result of two missiles that struck the island.[89]

Overnight on 11 February 2023, two Russian Su-24 bombers carried out four air strikes against the Snake Island with use of air-dropped bombs.[90]

Analysis edit

Despite being a small and almost unremarkable island, Snake Island has been described as strategically valuable, besides the symbolic value for Ukrainian resistance which the island attained due to the famous exchange between the Ukrainian garrisons and the Moskva at the onset of the invasion. Control over the island would allow Russia to establish long-range air defense, cruise missiles, and electronic warfare assets to cover the north-western part of the Black Sea and southern Ukraine, as well as help the Russian navy reinforce its naval blockade and control the flow of civilian vessels. This is particularly true for the city of Odesa, as most of Ukraine's agriculture export comes out of the port of Odesa.[91][92][93] Additionally, Russia's control over the island would allow the country to reinforce its presence with Transnistria, a Russian controlled breakaway region of Moldova. Furthermore, a Russian controlled Snake Island represents a major security threat to NATO as the island is only 28 miles (45 km) away from Romania. British naval analyst Jonathan Bentham and Romanian historian Dorin Dobrincu believe that if Russia deploys missile systems, such as the S-400, NATO's southern flank would be in serious danger. Russian military-political analyst Alexander Mikhailov stated that with Snake Island Russia can control and blockade naval traffic between the north-western Black Sea and the Danube Delta. For Romania, a Russian blockade of Romania's ports would pose a major economic risk. Romania's Euro-Atlantic Resilience Centre believes Russia's intention in capturing Snake Island is to annex it in order to control as many shipping routes as possible that lead to the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey.[91][92]

The loss of the cruiser Moskva is said to have deteriorated the Russian naval threat, particularly its air defense, in the Black Sea. It is believed that with the loss of such a large vessel and the air defense void left behind for the Russian Black Sea fleet, the Ukrainian forces became emboldened to carry out these attacks on the Russian-occupied Snake Island. Coupled with the stalling and reversal of the Russian advances from the Battle of Mykolaiv, the Russian forces on Snake Island became increasingly isolated and vulnerable.[94][95] Russian forces made efforts to improve their air defenses on Snake Island following the loss of the Moskva and repeated Ukrainian airstrikes. These included deploying several Pantsir and Tor missile systems.[96][97] However, the isolated location of Snake Island still left resupply ships vulnerable to attacks, something the Ukrainian forces exploited and US Department of Defense credits for forcing the Russian forces to abandon Snake Island.[98] Ukraine's success in forcing the Russians to withdraw from the island has been attributed in part to the supply of Western weapons, including the use of Harpoon anti-ship missiles, while pro-Russian reporters have attributed some of Ukraine's success to the use of the French CAESAR self-propelled howitzer.[73][99]

Ukraine's usage of the TB2 drones to attack Snake Island has highlighted the increased importance of drone warfare and the reputation of TB2's service record. The initial success using the TB2s stunned some observers. However, the scenario that unfolded at Snake Island offered the perfect environment for such a system. The drone enjoyed a lack of redundant medium to long range air defense systems since all the Air Defense systems deployed on the island were short range defense systems (SHORADS), while the Russian forces were also unable to establish Combat Air Patrols (CAP) by fighter jets over the island. As such, after the sinking of the Moskva missile cruiser and the withdraw of the Black Sea Fleet, the island was effectively cut out of the Russian air defense envelope. To further decrease the effectiveness of the local scattered SHORAD Systems, the island is small and offers no place to cover, not even trees: not able to hide, not able to run, lacking in range, fighter top cover, situational awareness, scattered SHORAD systems on a small rocky island turned to be simple targets for any aerial asset out-ranging them. Overall, the successful use of the TB2 drone on Snake Island was triggered by a series of tactical mistakes by the Russian forces. Secondary elements in the initial success included the TB2 being a modular design allowing it to be assembled and dissembled quickly in areas where larger aircraft or UAVs can't operate. This would make it easier for the drones to avoid destruction when Russian forces strike Ukrainian air bases.[100]

 
Debris on the island on 7 July 2022

Following the Russian force's retreat from the island, the US Department of Defense and the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated that Ukraine will be able to better defend Odesa and nearby coastal regions.[98][101] Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, emphasized the importance of Russia's retreat by claiming that Russian signals intelligence were present on the island and could monitor the Odesa Oblast, the Bessarabia region, and Transnistria.[102]

Throughout the campaign, both sides have often put forth claims of attacks and damage inflicted on their opponents. The Drive, a sister publication to The War Zone, and the ISW have expressed doubt on the Russian claims of repeatedly repelling Ukrainian attacks, noting that such claims are never supported with hard evidence. Conversely, Ukrainian claims are usually supported with satellite imagery or combat footage of the operation.[101][75]

In terms of casualties, on 14 May, Ukrainian intelligence have claimed that out of 40 Russian officers deployed to Snake Island, only eight have returned alive back to Sevastopol. Ukrainian intelligence and a Wagner mercenary have also claimed that Russian Special Operations Forces were killed on the island.[56][103] Forbes estimated that Russia lost $915 million worth of equipment occupying Snake Island, around three-quarters of which belonged to the cruiser Moskva.[104]

Legacy edit

 
Ukrainian postage stamp featuring a Ukrainian soldier in battle dress flipping off the Moskva

The Ukrainian border guards' final communication before the attack, "Russian warship, go fuck yourself!", went viral and became a rallying cry for Ukrainians and their supporters around the world.[105] The Week compared the phrase to "Remember the Alamo" from the 19th-century Texas Revolution.[106]

In March 2022, the Ukrainian government announced that a postage stamp honoring the soldiers on Snake Island would be released. In a public vote, Ukrainian artist Boris Groh's design of a Ukrainian soldier standing on a beach and giving the finger to a passing Russian warship received the most votes and was selected.[107]

On 13 April 2022, the warship Moskva that was used in the attack and that the Ukrainians had told to "go fuck yourself" exploded and burned, according to Ukraine as a result of being hit by two R-360 Neptune anti-ship missiles fired from offshore in or near Odesa.[108] On 14 April, the Russians attempted to tow the damaged ship in the direction of Sevastopol but she ultimately sank before she reached port.[109][110]

In 2023 a street in Darnytskyi District in Kyiv was named "Heroes of Snake Island".[111]

See also edit

References edit

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January 01, 1970
snake, island, campaign, this, article, about, 2022, campaign, 1788, naval, battle, battle, fidonisi, part, russian, invasion, ukrainedate24, february, june, 2022, months, days, locationsnake, island, odesa, oblast45, 25500, 20417, 25500, 20417resultukrainian,. This article is about the 2022 campaign For the 1788 naval battle see Battle of Fidonisi Snake Island campaignPart of the Russian invasion of UkraineDate24 February 30 June 2022 4 months and 6 days LocationSnake Island Odesa Oblast45 15 18 N 30 12 15 E 45 25500 N 30 20417 E 45 25500 30 20417ResultUkrainian victory 1 2 Belligerents Russia UkraineStrength1 missile cruiser Moskva 3 1 patrol ship Vasily Bykov 3 Per Ukrainian sources 80 servicemen 4 Per Russian sources 82 soldiers 24 February 16 boats 25 February Casualties and lossesRussian seizureNoneUkrainian recapturePer Ukrainian sources 34 Killed 4 Raptor boats Serna class landing ship Vasily Bekh tugboat3 air defense systems1 Mi 8 helicopter3 Pantsir missile systemsRussian seizurePer Ukrainian sources 80 captured 4 1 search and rescue boat seizedPer Russian sources 82 soldiers captured6 boats sunkUkrainian recapturePer Ukrainian sources 10 killed DSHK 1 Stanislav 4 1 Su 24MR 5 6 1 Bayraktar TB2 droneclass notpageimage Location of Snake Island in the Black Sea The Snake Island campaign was a period of Russian occupation and military conflict for Snake Island a small strategically located Ukrainian island in the Black Sea On 24 February 2022 the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine the Russian Navy attacked Snake Island and captured it along with its entire garrison beginning a military occupation of the island The attack was widely publicized when an audio clip of the Russian cruiser Moskva hailing the island s garrison over the radio demanding their surrender and being told Russian warship go fuck yourself Russian Russkij voennyj korabl idi na huj romanized Russky voyenny korabl idi na khuy in response went viral along with initial inaccurate reports of the garrison s deaths 7 8 Later on it emerged that a civilian search and rescue ship trying to evacuate the soldiers was also captured along with the garrison The ship its crew and at least one soldier were subsequently freed in prisoner exchanges Following the island s capture Ukraine launched a campaign against Russian forces on and around the island deploying anti ship missiles against Russian naval forces as well as air artillery and missile strikes against Russian positions on the island itself Russia subsequently withdrew from the island on 30 June 2022 ending the island s 126 day military occupation Russian bombing against the island continued thereafter reportedly causing casualties on the Ukrainian military this has been denied by Ukraine Contents 1 Background 2 Capture by Russia 3 Status of Ukrainian soldiers and civilian sailors 3 1 Release 4 Ukrainian counteroffensive and recapture 5 Subsequent Russian shelling 6 Analysis 7 Legacy 8 See also 9 ReferencesBackground editSnake Island is a rocky island with an area of less than 1 square kilometre 0 4 sq mi that is situated off the southwestern coast of Ukraine located 45 kilometres 28 mi from the coast of Romania and at the southern boundary of Ukrainian territorial waters in the Black Sea 9 10 11 This position makes it strategically important allowing whoever controls it to blockade Odesa and dominate large parts of the Black Sea including the area Constanta The island also has economic importance as within the exclusive economic zone that it projects are significant reserves of hydrocarbons 12 The only settlement on the island is Bile a small village built in 2007 13 In August 2021 as Russian forces built up around Ukraine Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a press event on the island during which he said This island like the rest of our territory is Ukrainian land and we will defend it with all our might 11 Capture by Russia edit nbsp nbsp The Russian Navy vessels involved cruiser Moskva left and patrol ship Vasily Bykov right On 24 February 2022 the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine 3 Ukrainian State Border Guards announced about 18 00 local time that Snake Island had come under attack by the Russian cruiser Moskva and patrol ship Vasily Bykov 14 15 who were attempting to seize it as part of the battle for control of the Black Sea 16 External videos nbsp nbsp Go fuck yourself Ukrainian soldiers on Snake Island tell Russian ship audio on YouTube via The Guardian When the Russian warship identified itself and ordered the Ukrainian soldiers stationed on the island to surrender a border guard later identified as Roman Hrybov 17 replied Russian warship go fuck yourself Russian Russkij voennyj korabl idi na huj romanized Russky voyenny korabl idi na khuy 18 19 An audio clip of the exchange was first shared by Ukrainian government official Anton Herashchenko 20 then widely publicized by Ukrainska Pravda and later verified as authentic by Ukrainian government sources 21 22 One Ukrainian border guard live streamed the moment that the Russian warship opened fire 23 Later in the evening the State Border Guard Service said that communication with the island had been lost 24 At 22 00 01 00 Moscow Time UTC 2 service officials announced that Russian forces had captured the island following a naval and air bombardment that destroyed all infrastructure on the island 25 26 After the bombardment a detachment of Russian soldiers landed and took control of Snake Island 27 The Russian government reported that on 25 February 2022 a squadron of 16 boats of the Ukrainian Navy attacked Russian vessels off Snake Island also claiming that it sank six of the Ukrainian boats 28 The Russian government further accused the United States of providing intelligence support to the Ukrainian squadron during the action The United States denied any involvement 29 On 26 February 2022 Ukrainian authorities announced that the civilian search and rescue ship Sapfir had been captured by the Russian Navy off Snake Island 30 Status of Ukrainian soldiers and civilian sailors editUkrainian government sources initially stated that 13 border guards representing the entirety of the Ukrainian military presence on the island were killed after refusing to surrender 31 32 Zelenskyy announced that the border guards would be posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine 19 Russian defence media presented an alternative version of events claiming that 82 Ukrainian soldiers had been taken prisoner after surrendering voluntarily 22 and had been taken to Sevastopol 33 Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed that the prisoners had been signing pledges promising not to continue military action against Russia and would be released soon 34 The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine later announced that the guards might instead have been captured 35 based on the Russian reports that they were being held as prisoners of war 36 On 26 February 2022 it issued a statement saying that they believed that all Ukrainian defenders of Snake Island may be alive 37 On 28 February 2022 the Ukrainian Navy posted on its Facebook page that all the border guards of the island were alive and detained by the Russian Navy 38 39 Release edit On 24 March 2022 Sapfir and 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors were released by Russia in a prisoner exchange 10 prisoners of war were released in the same exchange and Ukraine stated that Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk was working towards the release of Snake Island prisoners particularly 40 On 30 March 2022 it was reported that the soldier who made the remark toward the ship was released in a prisoner exchange and subsequently awarded a Ukrainian medal 41 One year later in May 2023 German television ZDF reported that 36 Ukrainian men continued to be Russian prisoners of war 42 Ukrainian counteroffensive and recapture editSee also Sinking of the Moskva and 2022 bombing of Odesa On 14 April Ukraine claimed their anti ship missiles fired from Odesa struck and sunk the Moskva a Russian guided missile cruiser that served as the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet This forced Russia to withdraw its ships beyond the range of the missiles leaving the island exposed as it increased the difficulty of resupplying the occupying forces by sea 43 From 26 to 30 April OC South claimed strikes on the Russian forces on the island left a control post hit and two anti aircraft missile complex Strela 10 destroyed as well as 42 Russian soldiers killed 44 45 46 47 On 1 May Ukrainian Air Force Command South claimed to have launched an attack on Snake Island that destroyed Russian equipment stationed there 48 and the next day at dawn two Russian Raptor patrol and landing boats were sunk by a Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drone Video footage was released showing the boats being struck by guided bombs followed by explosions and fires on them 49 50 On 7 May Ukraine officials reported and displayed footage of a Russian Serna class landing craft located in the Black Sea being destroyed near Snake Island by a Ukrainian Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drone 51 52 Ukrainian Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drones were used to destroy two Tor surface to air missile launchers one of which was in the process of being unloaded from the Serna class landing craft possibly clearing the way for a pair of Ukrainian Su 27s conducting a high speed low level bombing run that day 53 54 Satellite photos seem to back up the footage 55 but Russia claimed it was repaired and will soon return to service 51 Later footage of a Ukrainian drone strike on a hovering Russian Mi 8 the marking the first known aerial kill by a drone on Snake Island was released 55 56 and independently verified by Reuters 57 An additional two or three Raptor class patrol boats were also destroyed by a TB2 drone The Ukrainians claimed to have killed 46 Russian service members during the attacks 58 59 Meanwhile on the same day the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed Russian forces repelled Ukrainian attempts to retake Snake Island 60 57 During the 7 May actions Ukrainian forces losses according to Ukrainian media reached 10 killed and the assault craft Stanislav 4 61 On 9 May Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said that Russian army holding the island is an advantage for Ukraine as they can repeatedly assault Russian targets on the island 57 The UK Ministry of Defense reported that according to their analysis Russia was trying to reinforce an exposed garrison on the island where upon Ukraine had successfully launched drone attacks against resupply vessels and air defenses 62 The status of the island is critical to both Ukraine and Russia as a military asset 63 On 12 May Ukraine claimed it had attacked Russian logistics ship Vsevolod Bobrov near Snake Island while it was attempting to deliver an air defense system causing it to catch on fire and be towed back to Sevastopol Russia did not provide a comment on the event and there were no reports of casualties 64 65 On the same day Maxar Technologies captured a satellite image of a Russian Serna class landing craft taking evasive maneuvers from a Ukrainian missile 66 On 16 May the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that a Ukrainian Su 24 was shot down near the island 67 On 1 June Ukraine claimed that Russian forces had installed multiple rocket launchers on the island 68 On 17 June Ukraine sunk the Russian tug Spasatel Vasily Bekh with two Harpoon missiles preventing it from delivering vital supplies such as weapons and personnel and forcing Russia to rethink their position on the island The Russians claimed that out of 33 crew members 10 were missing and the other 23 were injured 69 43 70 71 Three days later Ukrainian forces struck gas platforms near the island that it said Russian forces had been using by installing radio jamming equipment 72 73 Strikes continued the next day with Ukraine claiming the destruction of military vehicles as well as anti aircraft and radar systems likely a Pantsir S1 74 claims that Russia denied 16 Russian officials countered that the Russian forces have intercepted all of the incoming rounds destroyed 13 drones and repelled an amphibious assault this has been met with doubt by the online publication The Drive 75 On 27 June Ukrainian officials released footage of Ukrainian forces conducting 10 precision strikes on the island A second Pantsir S1 was reportedly destroyed in the attack The Russian MoD denied that their system was destroyed and instead claimed that their Pantsir system destroyed 12 rockets and a Ukrainian Su 25 76 Ukraine s southern command stated that there was an ongoing operation to recapture the island 72 These regular attacks against the island and its resupply ships made the Russian position untenable 43 According to Ukrainian officials the Russian Air Force attacked Ukrainian rocket and artillery positions in the Odesa Oblast with Su 35 fighters in order to reduce the intensity of the Ukrainian attacks on Snake Island Three Kh 31D missiles were reportedly fired but Ukrainians claimed no casualties or damages were reported On 29 June Ukrainian forces claimed to have destroyed one of four helicopters possibly a Ka 52 that were approaching the island during a search and rescue operation 77 78 On 30 June Russian forces retreated in what has been described as a major Ukrainian victory and a propaganda coup 79 80 Russia claimed that their troops had completed their assigned tasks and that the move was a goodwill gesture to demonstrate that Russia was not preventing the establishment of a shipping corridor to allow the export of grain from Odesa 81 while Ukraine claimed that they forced the Russians to withdraw in two speedboats through artillery and missile attacks 82 photos show the island enveloped in smoke 83 Subsequent Russian shelling edit nbsp Soldiers raise the Ukrainian national flag on Snake Island July 2022 On 1 July at around 18 00 two Russian Su 30s bombed the island in two air strikes with phosphorus bombs according to the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 84 85 Ukrainian officials believe these airstrikes were an attempted scorched earth tactic to destroy weapons and equipment that were left behind 86 On 4 July the Ukrainian Operational Command South reported that the island was fully recaptured a Ukrainian flag was raised over it 87 On 7 July Russian Defence Ministry announced its aircraft carried out another missile strike against Snake Island killing a number of Ukrainian troops there 88 According to Ukrainian sources no casualties were reported however a pier was seriously damaged as a result of two missiles that struck the island 89 Overnight on 11 February 2023 two Russian Su 24 bombers carried out four air strikes against the Snake Island with use of air dropped bombs 90 Analysis editDespite being a small and almost unremarkable island Snake Island has been described as strategically valuable besides the symbolic value for Ukrainian resistance which the island attained due to the famous exchange between the Ukrainian garrisons and the Moskva at the onset of the invasion Control over the island would allow Russia to establish long range air defense cruise missiles and electronic warfare assets to cover the north western part of the Black Sea and southern Ukraine as well as help the Russian navy reinforce its naval blockade and control the flow of civilian vessels This is particularly true for the city of Odesa as most of Ukraine s agriculture export comes out of the port of Odesa 91 92 93 Additionally Russia s control over the island would allow the country to reinforce its presence with Transnistria a Russian controlled breakaway region of Moldova Furthermore a Russian controlled Snake Island represents a major security threat to NATO as the island is only 28 miles 45 km away from Romania British naval analyst Jonathan Bentham and Romanian historian Dorin Dobrincu believe that if Russia deploys missile systems such as the S 400 NATO s southern flank would be in serious danger Russian military political analyst Alexander Mikhailov stated that with Snake Island Russia can control and blockade naval traffic between the north western Black Sea and the Danube Delta For Romania a Russian blockade of Romania s ports would pose a major economic risk Romania s Euro Atlantic Resilience Centre believes Russia s intention in capturing Snake Island is to annex it in order to control as many shipping routes as possible that lead to the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey 91 92 The loss of the cruiser Moskva is said to have deteriorated the Russian naval threat particularly its air defense in the Black Sea It is believed that with the loss of such a large vessel and the air defense void left behind for the Russian Black Sea fleet the Ukrainian forces became emboldened to carry out these attacks on the Russian occupied Snake Island Coupled with the stalling and reversal of the Russian advances from the Battle of Mykolaiv the Russian forces on Snake Island became increasingly isolated and vulnerable 94 95 Russian forces made efforts to improve their air defenses on Snake Island following the loss of the Moskva and repeated Ukrainian airstrikes These included deploying several Pantsir and Tor missile systems 96 97 However the isolated location of Snake Island still left resupply ships vulnerable to attacks something the Ukrainian forces exploited and US Department of Defense credits for forcing the Russian forces to abandon Snake Island 98 Ukraine s success in forcing the Russians to withdraw from the island has been attributed in part to the supply of Western weapons including the use of Harpoon anti ship missiles while pro Russian reporters have attributed some of Ukraine s success to the use of the French CAESAR self propelled howitzer 73 99 Ukraine s usage of the TB2 drones to attack Snake Island has highlighted the increased importance of drone warfare and the reputation of TB2 s service record The initial success using the TB2s stunned some observers However the scenario that unfolded at Snake Island offered the perfect environment for such a system The drone enjoyed a lack of redundant medium to long range air defense systems since all the Air Defense systems deployed on the island were short range defense systems SHORADS while the Russian forces were also unable to establish Combat Air Patrols CAP by fighter jets over the island As such after the sinking of the Moskva missile cruiser and the withdraw of the Black Sea Fleet the island was effectively cut out of the Russian air defense envelope To further decrease the effectiveness of the local scattered SHORAD Systems the island is small and offers no place to cover not even trees not able to hide not able to run lacking in range fighter top cover situational awareness scattered SHORAD systems on a small rocky island turned to be simple targets for any aerial asset out ranging them Overall the successful use of the TB2 drone on Snake Island was triggered by a series of tactical mistakes by the Russian forces Secondary elements in the initial success included the TB2 being a modular design allowing it to be assembled and dissembled quickly in areas where larger aircraft or UAVs can t operate This would make it easier for the drones to avoid destruction when Russian forces strike Ukrainian air bases 100 nbsp Debris on the island on 7 July 2022 Following the Russian force s retreat from the island the US Department of Defense and the Institute for the Study of War ISW stated that Ukraine will be able to better defend Odesa and nearby coastal regions 98 101 Oleksiy Danilov secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine emphasized the importance of Russia s retreat by claiming that Russian signals intelligence were present on the island and could monitor the Odesa Oblast the Bessarabia region and Transnistria 102 Throughout the campaign both sides have often put forth claims of attacks and damage inflicted on their opponents The Drive a sister publication to The War Zone and the ISW have expressed doubt on the Russian claims of repeatedly repelling Ukrainian attacks noting that such claims are never supported with hard evidence Conversely Ukrainian claims are usually supported with satellite imagery or combat footage of the operation 101 75 In terms of casualties on 14 May Ukrainian intelligence have claimed that out of 40 Russian officers deployed to Snake Island only eight have returned alive back to Sevastopol Ukrainian intelligence and a Wagner mercenary have also claimed that Russian Special Operations Forces were killed on the island 56 103 Forbes estimated that Russia lost 915 million worth of equipment occupying Snake Island around three quarters of which belonged to the cruiser Moskva 104 Legacy edit nbsp Ukrainian postage stamp featuring a Ukrainian soldier in battle dress flipping off the Moskva The Ukrainian border guards final communication before the attack Russian warship go fuck yourself went viral and became a rallying cry for Ukrainians and their supporters around the world 105 The Week compared the phrase to Remember the Alamo from the 19th century Texas Revolution 106 In March 2022 the Ukrainian government announced that a postage stamp honoring the soldiers on Snake Island would be released In a public vote Ukrainian artist Boris Groh s design of a Ukrainian soldier standing on a beach and giving the finger to a passing Russian warship received the most votes and was selected 107 On 13 April 2022 the warship Moskva that was used in the attack and that the Ukrainians had told to go fuck yourself exploded and burned according to Ukraine as a result of being hit by two R 360 Neptune anti ship missiles fired from offshore in or near Odesa 108 On 14 April the Russians attempted to tow the damaged ship in the direction of Sevastopol but she ultimately sank before she reached port 109 110 In 2023 a street in Darnytskyi District in Kyiv was named Heroes of Snake Island 111 See also editList of last stands Raid on Porto Buso Battle of Ad Dawrah Naval warfare in the Russian invasion of UkraineReferences edit Snake Island was one of the first battlegrounds of Russia s Ukraine invasion Now Kyiv has scored a key strategic victory ABC News 1 July 2022 Archived from the original on 5 July 2022 Retrieved 5 July 2022 Ukraine pushes Russian forces from strategic Snake Island The Guardian 30 June 2022 Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 5 July 2022 a b c Zubkova Dasha 24 February 2022 Zmiinyi Island In Black Sea Attacked From Russian Ships Border Service Ukrainian News Agency Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 24 February 2022 a b c d Bitva za Zmiyinij Geroyichna istoriya yak Ukrayina vtratila i povernula nadvazhlivij ostriv Rekonstrukciya Pravda UA in Ukrainian 7 November 2022 U Buchi cherez tri misyaci pislya zagibeli pohovayut odnogo z Prividiv Kiyeva Mihajla Matyushenka Novynarnia in Ukrainian 3 October 2022 Starokostyantinivskij rajonnij sud Hmelnickoyi oblasti in Ukrainian 15 July 2022 VMS ZS Ukrayini Ukrainian Navy facebook com VMS ZS Ukrayini 28 February 2022 Archived from the original on 28 February 2022 Retrieved 28 February 2022 Ukrainian Navy confirms Snake Island soldiers are alive POWs jpost com The Jerusalem Post 28 February 2022 Archived from the original on 28 February 2022 Retrieved 28 February 2022 Snake Island Why Russia couldn t hold on to strategic Black Sea outcrop BBC News 30 June 2022 Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 30 June 2022 Reich Aaron 13 Ukraine soldiers tell Russia go f yourself in defiant last stand The Jerusalem Post ISSN 0021 597X Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 5 March 2022 a b van Brugen Isabel 25 February 2022 Ukraine soldiers tell Russia go f yourself before being killed in chilling audio Newsweek ISSN 0028 9604 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 Williams Sophie Kirby Paul 11 May 2022 Ukraine war Snake Island and battle for control in Black Sea BBC News Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 30 June 2022 Veselova Viktoriya 25 January 2022 Ostriv de planuvali deokupaciyu Krimu yak viglyadav Zmiyinij do vijni z Rosiyeyu The island where the deoccupation of Crimea was planned what Zmiinyi looked like before the war with Russia Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty in Ukrainian Archived from the original on 26 February 2022 Retrieved 26 February 2022 Cathal PokiRae 25 February 2022 Ukrainian soldier deployed on Snake Island live streamed the moment a Russian warship opened fire on the Island Tweet Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 5 March 2022 via Twitter Russian Navy Captures Ukraine s Outpost on Snake Island The Maritime Executive 24 February 2022 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 a b Black Sea s Snake Island emerges as crucial in Russia Ukraine war France 24 28 June 2022 Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 30 June 2022 Sauer Pjotr 29 March 2022 Ukraine gives medal to soldier who told Russian officer to go fuck yourself The Guardian Archived from the original on 31 March 2022 Retrieved 30 March 2022 Romanenko Valentina 25 February 2022 Russkij korabl idi na h j zahisniki Zmiyinogo vidpovili vorogovi Russian ship go fuck yourself Defenders of the Serpent responded to the enemy Ukrainska Pravda in Ukrainian OCLC 1066371688 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 28 February 2022 a b Lister Tim Pennington Josh 24 February 2022 Audio emerges appearing to be of Ukrainian fighters defending island from Russian warship CNN Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 5 March 2022 Pravda Gerashchenko Pravda Gerashchenko Russkij korabl predlagaet garnizonu ostrova Zmeinyj sdatsya Byl poslan na huj Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 5 March 2022 via Telegram Lamothe Dan Sonne Paul On Ukraine s Snake Island a defiant last stand against Russian forces The Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 OCLC 2269358 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 a b Singh Namita 25 February 2022 Russian warship go f k yourself the defiant last words of 13 Ukrainian soldiers The Independent ISSN 0951 9467 OCLC 185201487 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 Slisco Aila 24 February 2022 One of 13 killed on Ukrainian island live streamed attack Newsweek ISSN 0028 9604 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 Ziezulewicz Geoff 25 February 2022 Ukrainians trapped on Snake Island to the Russians demanding their surrender go f ck yourself Navy Times ISSN 0028 1697 OCLC 03511129 Archived from the original on 27 March 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 Ostriv Zmiyinij zahopili rosijski okupanti DPSU Snake Island was captured by the Russian occupiers SBGS Gazeta ua 24 February 2022 Archived from the original on 24 February 2022 Retrieved 24 February 2022 Hallam Johnny 24 February 2022 Ukraine s State Border Guard says island south of country s coast falls into Russian hands CNN Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 24 February 2022 Visontay Elias 25 February 2022 Ukraine soldiers told Russian officer go fuck yourself before they died on island The Guardian eISSN 1756 3224 ISSN 0261 3077 OCLC 60623878 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 28 February 2022 Ukraine s boats attack ships evacuating Ukrainian troops who surrendered on Snake Island TASS 27 February 2022 Archived from the original on 28 February 2022 Retrieved 4 March 2022 Vogt Adrienne 26 February 2022 Pentagon denies Russia s claim that it s highly likely US used surveillance drones to help Ukrainian navy CNN Archived from the original on 27 February 2022 Retrieved 27 February 2022 Boyko Ivan Rossiya zahvatila grazhdanskoe spasatelnoe sudno u ostrova Zmeinyj Russia seizes civilian rescue ship off Zmeinyy island in Russian Ukrainian Independent Information Agency Archived from the original on 28 February 2022 Retrieved 5 March 2022 Ukraine s Snake Island under attack border guards took up defense Ukrinform 24 February 2022 Archived from the original on 24 February 2022 Retrieved 24 February 2022 BNO News BNONews 24 February 2022 13 Ukrainian border guards killed in Russian take over of Snake Island in the Black Sea near the Romanian border official Tweet Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 4 March 2022 via Twitter Ukrainian border guards could still be alive after Russian attack on Snake Island authorities say amid conflicting accounts ABC News Australian TV channel Reuters 28 February 2022 Archived from the original on 1 March 2022 Retrieved 3 March 2022 Dean Jeff 25 February 2022 Russian warship tells Ukrainian soldiers to surrender They profanely refuse NPR Archived from the original on 26 February 2022 Retrieved 26 February 2022 Shukla Sebastian 26 February 2022 Defenders of Ukrainian island may still be alive and now POWs the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine says CNN Archived from the original on 27 February 2022 Retrieved 26 February 2022 Lamothe Dan Ukrainian border guards may have survived reported last stand on Snake Island The Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 OCLC 2269358 Archived from the original on 27 February 2022 Retrieved 27 February 2022 State Border Guard Service There is hope all Ukrainian defenders of Snake Island may be alive Ukrinform 26 February 2022 Archived from the original on 4 May 2022 Retrieved 2 May 2022 Snake Island Ukraine says troops who swore at Russian warship are alive BBC News 28 February 2022 Archived from the original on 9 March 2022 Retrieved 7 March 2022 Reich Aaron 28 February 2022 Ukrainian Navy confirms Snake Island soldiers are alive POWs The Jerusalem Post ISSN 0021 597X Archived from the original on 28 February 2022 Retrieved 28 February 2022 Chappell Bill 24 March 2022 Snake Island sailors are freed as Ukraine and Russia conduct a prisoner exchange NPR Archived from the original on 26 March 2022 Retrieved 25 March 2022 Sauer Pjotr 30 March 2022 Ukraine gives medal to soldier who told Russian officer to go fuck yourself The Guardian Archived from the original on 31 March 2022 Retrieved 30 March 2022 Dara Hassanzadeh Die Kriegsgefangenen von der Schlangeninsel In ZDF de May 4 2023 at 1 38 min German a b c Gatopoulos Alex The struggle for Snake Island Al Jazeera Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 30 June 2022 ZSU nanesli udar po poziciyah rosijskih vijsk na ostrovi Zmiyinij OK Pivden Militarnij in Ukrainian 27 April 2022 Archived from the original on 2 May 2022 Retrieved 2 May 2022 Sili oboroni Ukrayini znishili tehniku ta zhivu silu na ostrovi Zmiyinij Militarnij in Ukrainian 1 May 2022 Archived from the original on 1 May 2022 Retrieved 2 May 2022 Axe David 3 May 2022 Ukraine s Drones Are Peeling Back Russian Defenses On Infamous Snake Island Forbes Archived from the original on 9 May 2022 Retrieved 9 May 2022 100 civilians evacuated from Mariupol steel plant Zelenskyy Daily Sabah 1 May 2022 Archived from the original on 9 May 2022 Retrieved 9 May 2022 Russia reinforcing operations in the east amid heavy artillery assaults Ukrainian military says CNN 1 May 2022 Archived from the original on 17 June 2022 Retrieved 1 May 2022 Ukrayinskij Bayraktar znishiv dva rosijskih kateri bilya ostrova Zmiyinij Militarnij in Ukrainian 2 May 2022 Archived from the original on 2 May 2022 Retrieved 2 May 2022 Sogodni na svitanku bilya ostrova Zmiyinij bulo znisheno dva rosijski kateri tipu Raptor on YouTube a b Ukrainian Military Says Drone Destroys Russian Landing Craft Near Snake Island In Black Sea RFERL Archived from the original on 13 May 2022 Retrieved 7 May 2022 Russian landing craft in Black Sea s Snake Island sunk in drone strike claims Ukraine Wion News 7 May 2022 Archived from the original on 7 May 2022 Retrieved 7 May 2022 D Urso Stefano Cenciotti David 10 May 2022 Bayraktar TB2 Videos Show New Wave of Ukrainian Attacks Against Russian Forces On Snake Island The Aviationist Archived from the original on 13 May 2022 Retrieved 13 May 2022 Payne Stetson 7 May 2022 Ukraine Strikes Back Su 27s Bomb Occupied Snake Island In Daring Raid The Drive Archived from the original on 12 May 2022 Retrieved 1 April 2023 a b Jones Harrison 8 May 2022 Moment Russian helicopter is obliterated as Ukrainians bomb Snake Island Metro Archived from the original on 9 May 2022 Retrieved 8 May 2022 a b Cetiner Yusuf 10 May 2022 Ukrainian TB2 Destroys Russian Mi 8 Helicopter On Snake Island in First Reported Aerial Kill Overt Defense Archived from the original on 23 May 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b c Ukraine battles Russia in Black Sea over strategic Snake Island Reuters 11 May 2022 Archived from the original on 12 May 2022 Retrieved 12 May 2022 Kalatur Anastasiia 8 May 2022 Zmiinyi Snake Island Bayraktar UCAVs destroy three Russian Serna and Raptor boats Pravda Archived from the original on 10 May 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 How many Raptors did the Bayraktars sink in the first week of May Analysis of the video of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Militarnyi 8 May 2022 Archived from the original on 11 June 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Brown Larisa 18 April 2022 Ukraine in fierce battle to retake Snake Island The Times London Archived from the original on 11 May 2022 Retrieved 12 May 2022 Materi ta druzhini zniklih moryakiv iz potoplenih kateriv VMSU prosyat proliti svitlo na doli yihnih blizkih Mi na 100 vpevneni sho voni v poloni Dumskaya in Ukrainian 29 November 2022 Retrieved 29 November 2022 Russia says it repelled Ukraine s attempts to reclaim Snake Island South China Morning Post 11 May 2022 Archived from the original on 16 May 2022 Retrieved 11 May 2022 Williams Sophie Kirby Paul 11 May 2022 Ukraine war Snake Island and battle for control in Black Sea BBC News Archived from the original on 13 May 2022 Retrieved 11 May 2022 Another Russian naval ship is on fire in the Black Sea Ukraine Al Arabiya English 12 May 2022 Archived from the original on 13 May 2022 Retrieved 12 May 2022 Live updates Russia Ukraine War AP NEWS 12 May 2022 Archived from 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Isobel 30 June 2022 Ukraine says it has pushed Russian forces from Snake Island the Guardian Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 30 June 2022 a b Hopkins Valerie Santora Marc 25 June 2022 The arrival of Western weapons begins to reshape the battle off Ukraine s coast The New York Times Archived from the original on 1 July 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Altman Howard 23 June 2022 Battle For Snake Island Rages On Ukraine Says The Drive Archived from the original on 27 June 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b Trevithick Joseph 21 June 2022 Ukrainian Strikes On Russian Occupied Snake Island Confirmed In Satellite Imagery The Drive Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Altman Howard 27 June 2022 Ukraine Says It Destroyed More Russian Air Defenses On Snake Island The Drive Archived from the original on 2 July 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Ukrainian military shoot down Russia s Ka 52 approaching Snake Island Ukrinform 30 June 2022 Archived from the original on 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overnight kyivindependent com 11 February 2023 a b Lister Tim 13 May 2022 Snake Island The tiny speck of land playing an outsized role in Russia s war on Ukraine CNN Archived from the original on 1 July 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b Williams Sophie Kirby Paul 11 May 2022 Ukraine war Snake Island and battle for control in Black Sea BBC Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 McFall Caitlin 11 May 2022 Russia looks to reinforce troops on Snake Island officials warn it could dominate western Black Sea Fox News Archived from the original on 3 July 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Michaels Daniel 14 April 2022 Loss of Flagship Cruiser Moskva Hamstrings Russia s Naval Threat The Wall Street Journal Archived from the original on 14 June 2022 Retrieved 19 June 2022 H I Sutton 11 May 2022 How The Russian Navy Is Losing Dominance The Curse Of Snake Island Naval News Archived from the original on 16 June 2022 Retrieved 19 June 2022 Enemies deploy Pantsir Tor M2 missile systems on Zmiinyi Island intel report Ukrinform 13 May 2022 Archived from the original on 16 June 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Payne Stetson Rogoway Tyler 11 June 2022 Snake Island Reinforced By Russia With Additional Surface To Air Missiles The Drive Archived from the original on 12 June 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b Vergun David 1 July 2022 Russians Retreat From Snake Island Says DOD Official U S Department of Defense Archived from the original on 4 July 2022 Retrieved 4 July 2022 Suliman Adela Ilyushina Mary Russian forces withdraw from Ukraine s Snake Island Washington Post Archived from the original on 30 June 2022 Retrieved 30 June 2022 Incredible Success Of Ukraine s Bayraktar TB2 The Ghost Of Snake Island Naval News 18 May 2022 Archived from the original on 1 July 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b Hird Karolina Stepanenko Kateryna Kagan Frederick W Mappes Grace 30 June 2022 RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT JUNE 30 Institute for the Study of War Archived from the original on 1 July 2022 Retrieved 4 July 2022 Hlushchenko Olha 1 July 2022 Russians had powerful radio reconnaissance positions on Zmiinyi Island Danilov Pravda Archived from the original on 3 July 2022 Retrieved 4 July 2022 ALONA MAZURENKO 14 May 2022 Ukrainian Intelligence bodies of Russians being taken to occupied Sevastopol from Zmiinyi Snake Island Pravda Archived from the original on 14 June 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Landa Volodymyr Gnenny Konstantin 1 July 2022 Ganba dobroyi voli Na Zmiyinomu ostrovi ta v navkolishnih vodah Rosiya vtratila tehniki na ponad 900 mln Infografika Forbes Archived from the original on 4 July 2022 Retrieved 4 July 2022 Ziezulewicz Geoff 25 February 2022 Ukrainians trapped on Snake Island to the Russians demanding their surrender go f ck yourself Navy Times ISSN 0028 1697 OCLC 03511129 Archived from the original on 27 March 2022 Retrieved 5 March 2022 Weber Peter How Russian warship go f k yourself became Ukraine s Remember the Alamo The Week ISSN 1533 8304 Archived from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 Vercellone Chiara 14 March 2022 Fact check Ukrainian stamp honoring Snake Island soldiers response to Russian warship is real USA Today Archived from the original on 2 April 2022 Retrieved 4 April 2022 Axe David 13 April 2022 One Of Russia s Biggest Cruisers Has Sunk Off Ukraine Forbes Archived from the original on 14 April 2022 Retrieved 14 April 2022 Lendon Brad 14 April 2022 Russian navy evacuates badly damaged flagship in Black Sea Ukraine claims it was hit by a missile CNN Archived from the original on 14 April 2022 Retrieved 14 April 2022 Russian warship Moskva has sunk defence ministry BBC News 14 April 2022 Archived from the original on 14 April 2022 Retrieved 14 April 2022 Without Pushkin Krylov and Chkalov 14 more objects were renamed in Kyiv Ukrainska Pravda in Ukrainian 13 July 2023 Retrieved 13 July 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Snake Island campaign amp oldid 1220086204, wikipedia, 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