Ukraine says struck Russian forces on Snake Island

Kyiv has said its troops struck Russian positions on the Black Sea’s Snake Island, which gained notoriety when Ukrainian soldiers deployed there rebuffed demands to surrender from Moscow’s invading forces.

“Our forces carried out strikes on enemy positions on Snake Island,” the Ukrainian military said in a statement on social media late Tuesday, claiming to have hit a checkpoint and an anti-aircraft system.

“The Russians’ losses are being clarified,” it said.

Russia has not confirmed the attack on Snake Island which Moscow captured shortly after launching its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

This small island became a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion after a radio exchange went viral in which Ukrainian soldiers told the crew of Russia’s attacking warship demanding their surrender, to “go fuck yourself”.
The Ukrainian soldiers were taken prisoner but later exchanged for Russian captives.

The recording of this verbal exchange has gone around the world and served as a leitmotif for the Ukrainian resistance, even appearing on placards during support rallies abroad and on stamps.

The Russian ship involved, the Moskva, sank in the Black Sea in mid-April following what Moscow said was an explosion on board.

Ukraine said it had hit the warship with missiles.