The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, together with the head of the State Administration of Ukraine, Kyryll Budanov, visited the Snake Island on the 500th day of the full-scale war that Russia unleashed against our country.
This is reported by the president.
"I am grateful to everyone who fought here against the occupiers. The memory of the heroes who gave their lives in this battle - one of the most important during the full-scale war - was honored," he said.
The President noted that a small piece of land in the middle of the Black Sea is a great proof that Ukraine will regain every part of its territory.
From this place of victory, he thanked every Ukrainian soldier for 500 days of fighting for our territory.
"Let the freedom that all our heroes of different times wanted for Ukraine and that has to be won right now be a tribute to all those who gave their lives for the sake of Ukraine. We will definitely win," he added.
The release of Zmiyny
Even at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russians attacked Zmiiny Island with the help of the missile cruiser "Moskva". The invaders threatened the Ukrainian border guards with murder if they did not lay down their weapons and turn off their radar systems. On that day, the occupiers captured the Ukrainian defenders, one of whom said to them an apt phrase: "Russian warship, go to...".
However, on June 30, 2022, the invaders left Snake Island. After another successful operation by Ukrainian troops, the enemy hastily evacuated the remnants of the garrison. As a result, this allowed the Armed Forces to completely liberate the Odesa region from the occupiers.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the State Administration of Ukraine, noted that without the restoration of control over the island, any shipping from Black Sea ports would become impossible.
