War in Ukraine: Russian army withdraws from Serpents' Island

Satellite view of Snake Island, June 17.

PA

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The Russian army announced on Thursday June 30 that it had withdrawn from Serpents' Island, a strategic position in the Black Sea conquered by Moscow and which has been under Ukrainian bombardment in recent weeks.

Advertising

Read more

This small island became emblematic from the first day of the Russian offensive when a member of the small Ukrainian garrison defending it ordered the Russian ship demanding its surrender to “

fuck it

”.

Before finally surrendering.

On June 30, as a sign of goodwill, the Russian armed forces accomplished the objectives set on Serpents' Island and withdrew their garrison there

 ," said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov. , assuring that this gesture should facilitate grain exports from Ukraine.

"Liberation of a strategic territory"

“ 

Russia does not oppose UN efforts to create a humanitarian corridor to export grain production from Ukraine

 ,” he continued.

This decision will no longer allow Kyiv to speculate on an impending food crisis by saying that it is impossible to export grain because of Russia's total control over the northwest Black Sea

 ," he said. added Igor Konashenkov.

Serpents' Island, located in the northwest of the Black Sea, near the Ukrainian and Romanian coasts, was conquered by Moscow at the start of the offensive in

Ukraine

launched on February 24.

The island was then regularly targeted by Ukrainian drone and missile strikes.

Russia had thus assured on June 21 that it had repelled a “ 

crazy

 ” attempt by the forces of Kiev to retake Serpents' Island.

The Ukrainian army welcomes " 

the liberation of a strategic territory

 ".

I thank the defenders of the Odessa region who have done their utmost to liberate a strategically important territory

 ", welcomed on Telegram the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, Valeriï Zaloujniï.

►Also read: Odessa, a vital port for the Ukrainian economy and world trade

(

With

AFP)

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

  • Ukraine

  • Russia