The Ukrainian Secret Services have released previously unseen footage to mark the second anniversary of the liberation of Snake Island in the Black Sea.
The video begins with aerial bombs striking the island, followed by an assault led by helicopters. Headcam footage reveals SBU forces leaping from the choppers and engaging in fierce gunfire exchanges with Russian troops.
Archived footage of Ukrainian aviation and artillery strikes on Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, followed by the landing of troops who cleared the island pic.twitter.com/U3RGltw9MG
— Bricktop_NAFO (@Bricktop_NAFO) July 1, 2024
The operation, which took place in June 2022, was a significant morale booster for Ukrainian resistance. The footage shows Ukrainian forces, including SBU operatives, navigating through crumbled buildings and targeting Russian positions. The successful liberation of Snake Island forced a Russian retreat and disrupted their blockade of Odesa’s Black Sea ports, which had facilitated direct missile attacks against Ukraine.
The final liberation of Snake Island on June 30, 2022, marked a pivotal moment in the conflict. Russia had initially claimed that their retreat was a “gesture of goodwill,” but the reality, as evidenced by the footage, was that they were compelled to abandon the outpost under Ukrainian pressure.
Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, first garnered international attention at the onset of the war in February 2022. Ukrainian defenders famously responded to a Russian warship’s demand for surrender with the defiant phrase, “Go f*** yourself,” which quickly became a national slogan in Ukraine.
The recapture of Snake Island was crucial. By holding the island, Russian forces had been able to enforce a blockade and launch attacks from the sea.
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