Russia attacks Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, bombards Snake Island overnight

Russian tactical aviation fired on July 30 two air bombs at Ukraine’s Snake Island, located 35 kilometers from the mainland of Odesa Oblast, Southern Operational Command reported.

This marks Russia’s third attack on Snake Island over the last month, the military added without providing further details.  

Russian troops also attacked agricultural enterprises in the Kherson Oblast and Kryvyi Rih district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with Shahed-136 kamikaze drones overnight, the military said. The attack was launched from the eastern coast of the Azov Sea.

According to the report, all four drones were destroyed.

The debris fell on the territory of one of the agricultural enterprises causing a fire and damaging a warehouse, Southern Operational Command said.

There were no casualties, the military added.

Snake Island was captured by Russian forces at the onset of the full-scale invasion due to its strategic importance.

On Feb. 24, 2022, two Russian warships attacked the island and told the Ukrainian border guards to surrender. One of the Ukrainian border guards famously responded, "Russian warship, go f•ck yourself," a phrase which became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

Occupying Snake Island effectively allowed Russian forces to launch a blockade of Odesa's Black Sea ports and direct missile attacks against Ukraine.

On April 14, 2022, Ukraine successfully sunk the Mosvka, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Russian forces withdrew from Snake Island later that June.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Snake Island to mark 500 days of Russia's full-scale war earlier this month.

In a video shot from the island, Zelensky promised that Ukraine would reclaim every part of its territory currently occupied by Russia.

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The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell