Sure, it’s more of a symbolic victory than a strategic-tactical one: the withdrawal of Russian troops from Snake Island, just a few kilometers off the Ukrainian coast. The piece of land is nothing more than a bit of rock
We remember: Snake Island gained prominence around the world on the second day of the war when a Ukrainian soldier radioed the Russian attackers with a hearty message. The Russians then shelled the island; none of the soldiers, it was said at first, survived. However, a few days later relief. The soldiers on the island were captured. They were even released again at the end of March as part of a prisoner exchange.
Russian troops had meanwhile occupied the island. A lot of equipment capable of shelling mainland Ukraine had been brought to the island.
But with the sinking of the cruiser Moscow at the end of April, which also protected the island with its anti-missile defense, the tide turned. Weapons from the west, sea missiles and long-range artillery, enabled the Ukrainians to shell the island after a drone attack failed. The supply route across the sea was also made impossible for the Russians. The boats could be shot at from the shore.
So the case of Snake Island shows how Western arms are making themselves felt on the side of Ukraine. Will the Ukrainians re-occupy the island with the military? Probably not, Russian rocket attacks from the sea are still too dangerous. Perhaps a Ukrainian flag will do to complete the small triumph over Putin.
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