The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has released new footage of the liberation of Snake Island on June 30 to mark two years since Russian troops were forced to retreat from the strategic Black Sea outpost.
In a post on Telegram, the agency described the "unique and extremely important operation" conducted by Ukrainian soldiers including members of the SBU.
"It consisted of several stages and was of strategic importance because since then the gradual displacement of the enemy from the Black Sea began," it wrote.
The footage begins with an aerial view of an airstrike on the island before Ukrainian troops land by helicopter and engage Russian forces.
Since the liberation of Snake Island on June 30, 2022, Ukraine has had huge success at diminishing the presence and firepower of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, destroying or putting out of service around a third of its vessels.
Snake Island, located 35 kilometers from the mainland of Odesa Oblast, 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 until April 14, 2022, when Ukraine successfully sunk the Mosvka, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
Russian forces withdrew from Snake Island later that June. Their retreat led to establishment of the U.N. and Turkey brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative, which resumed grain and other agricultural exports to the rest of the world.
Russia's Defense Ministry called the withdrawal "a gesture of goodwill" rather than a defeat, adding troops "had completed their mission" and were withdrawing to demonstrate Russia's willingness to allow for grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
Andriy Yermak, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, slammed the statement as "complete fake," adding that Russian troops were pushed out of the outpost as a result of a "remarkable" operation conducted by Ukraine's Armed Forces.
Chris York
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