President: Liberation of Snake Island is one of our major victories
“Today is the first anniversary of the liberation of Snake Island from the Russian invaders. It is one of our major victories. Remember, last year, in the spring, no one expected from Ukraine that we would be able to implement, in particular, this fundamental defense task – to provide security to Snake Island, and therefore to a significant part of the Black Sea water area. But our soldiers did it. Russian terrorists needed Snake Island to destroy the entire south of our country, our beautiful Odesa, and other cities. Our soldiers stopped them and drove them out of Snake Island,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address.
The President thanked everyone who freed Snake Island
“And we will always remember our heroes, our soldiers, who gave their lives for the sake of this Ukrainian victory. Among those whose names can now be mentioned... Defense Intelligence fighters – Ruslan Popov, Hero of Ukraine, captain of the 1st rank; Oleh Zaitsev, Hero of Ukraine, junior lieutenant; Vitaliy Ihnatenko, Hero of Ukraine, soldier. SSU Alpha fighters – Volodymyr Kyseliov, Hero of Ukraine, captain; Oleksandr Krykunenko, Hero of Ukraine, major. Soldiers of the Navy - Ihor Bedzai, Hero of Ukraine, colonel; as well as Mykhailo Zaremba, major; Serhiy Muschytsky, captain; Yuriy Pyroh, staff sergeant. Eternal memory!” the President said.
He stressed that Ukraine and Ukrainians are much stronger than anyone thinks about us and sometimes stronger than we are used to thinking about ourselves.
“Thanks to all that our people manage to do in the confrontation with Russian terrorists, we are revealing to the whole world and to ourselves a new Ukrainian strength – a real Ukrainian strength. The strength that we will never lose and that will always be a pillar of the security of the free world,” Zelensky added.
As reported, Russian troops captured Snake Island on the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
On June 30, 2022, the Ukrainian military completely liberated Snake Island. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation confirmed the escape of its soldiers, calling it a "gesture of goodwill."
