At A Strategic Island, Ukraine ‘declares Victory’ Over Moscow But Retreats Quickly As A ‘russian Craft’ Approaches.
- The Russian MoD continued, Not a single Ukrainian missile or bomb reached its objective, forcing the adversary to abandon the landing.
- Later, she stated that before regaining control of the island, a examination" was required into any potential "diversion equipment left there by Russia.
While Russia did leave the island as a “gesture of goodwill” to permit the suspension of grain commerce at Ukrainian ports, it later bombed the island when Ukrainian military tried to base there, showing its intention to control the island from a distance in order to prevent conflicts.
Strangely enough, according to a story from July 7, after Ukrainian soldiers had raised a flag on the island in response to a Russian attack, they were forced to evacuate, leaving the island completely uninhabited.
This indicates that the island hasn’t actually changed hands and has instead been strategically ceded by one party (Russia) to stop the conflict from taking on a maritime aspect and engulfing the Black Sea.
🇺🇦🇷🇺⚡️Ukraine has struck Chernomorneftegaz drilling platforms in the Black Sea owned by a Crimea-based oil and gas company.
109 people were on the drilling rig at the time of the impact, 21 of them have been evacuated.
The rigs are located 71km off Odessa. pic.twitter.com/NH6c2tjOpd
— Ukraine War Report🇺🇦 (@UkrWarReport) June 20, 2022
According to this story, as part of its campaign, Ukraine attacked an oil rig that was under the hands of Russia close to Snake Island.
Previous Ukrainian Attempts
Russia claimed to have destroyed three Sukhoi Su-24 ground attack jets, one Su-27 fighter, a Mi-24 helicopter, three Mi-8 carrying troops, and three Centaur-class attack boats during the initial Ukrainian onslaught on May 8; more than 50 Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly killed.
The second Ukrainian attempt to seize the island on June 21 also lacked specifics, providing only information on the weaponry used, which included US-made M-777 155 mm howitzers from the Kubansky Island, west of Odessa, and Tochka-U ballistic missiles and Uragan Multiple Rocket Launch Systems (MLRS).
In contrast, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported that in a “mad attack,” it had destroyed 15 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including two TB-2 Bayraktar drones, four Tochka-U missiles, and 21 Uragan Multiple Rocket Launch Systems (MLRS).
The Russian MoD continued, “Not a single Ukrainian missile or bomb reached its objective, forcing the adversary to abandon the landing.”
Additionally, it claimed to have spotted a US Air Force “Global Hawk” RQ-4 at great altitudes and claimed that S-300 surface-to-air missiles from the villages of Tuzla and Ochakov were protecting the UAF drones.
#Ukraine: Yet more drama in the saga of Snake Island; this time it is the turn of Su-30SM jets of the Russian Naval Aviation force to hit the rock, presumably to destroy any equipment left behind.
However, unlike the Ukrainian Su-27 strike just weeks ago, 3 of 4 bombs missed. pic.twitter.com/eCA1oE8RIV
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) July 1, 2022
Natalia Humenyuk, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Air Force’s Southern Command, advised caution, saying the assessment “required silence” because “enemy losses were being verified” and because providing any additional information would compromise operational security given that the Russians were “continually listening.”
UAF Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant-General Valeriy Zaluzhnyy released another video on June 1 depicting VKS Sukhoi Su-30 fighters conducting a bombing run in the third attack on June 30 employing “artillery, rocket, and aviation strikes” that the occupying Russians were unable to “withstand.”
He criticised Russia for breaking its word, nevertheless, and issued a warning: “Everyone (with) these facts (before getting into an) arrangement with Russia.” A day later.
Humenyuk hinted that this was merely a symbolic victory by stating that it was “too early” to construct an outpost there and that their “forces (had not) landed there yet.” Humenyuk also expressed uncertainty regarding the extent of the Russian troops’ withdrawal.
Later, she stated that before regaining control of the island, a “examination” was required into any potential “diversion equipment” left there by Russia.
However, the spokesperson did express joy at the UAF attacks, adding that the Russians “gathered their belongings and got away as quickly as they could” after “really comprehending” the severity of the UAF’s potent “rocket artillery assault.”
Alexei Chernyak, a member of Russia’s State Duma (Parliament), stated that the island was now under the control of their “missiles, fleet, and aerospace forces,” indicating that Russia wouldn’t completely give up a crucial strategic outpost like Snake Island (or Zmeiny as Russia refers to it) that controls the northern Black Sea approaches to Odessa.
Ukrainian Soldiers Plant Flag & Leave
Combat swimmers from the 73rd SOF Maritime Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine approached the island on underwater carriers on July 7, according to accounts in US media, one week after the Russian pullout. Russian ships went near Snake Island after clearing the surrounding waters of mines.
Before a Russian missile attack destroyed one of the piers, the Ukrainian SOF men had finished their objective and had left the island.
Although Ukraine SOF spent a short time on the rock due to the island’s vulnerability, it seems unlikely that either side will be able to maintain a permanent garrison there, at least not right away.
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