Europe 1 with AFP 12:46 p.m., June 30, 2022

Serpents' Island in the Black Sea became iconic on the first day of the Russian offensive when a member of the small Ukrainian garrison defending it told the Russian ship demanding its surrender to "fuck it".

Before finally surrendering.

The Russian army announced on Thursday that it had withdrawn from this small island.

The Russian army announced on Thursday that it had withdrawn from Serpents' Island, a strategic position in the Black Sea conquered by Moscow and which has been under Ukrainian bombardment in recent weeks.

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.

Conquered from the start of the offensive

"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 thus assured on June 21 that it had repelled a "crazy" attempt by the forces of kyiv to retake Serpents' Island.