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Snake Island, made infamous after soldiers told the Russian warship bearing down on them 'go f**k yourself', is back under Ukrainian control.
New pictures have surfaced of the Ukrainian flag flying over Zmiinyi Island, also known as Snake Island, after Russian forces retreated from the outpost in the Black Sea.
Head of the Press Centre of the Defence Forces of Southern Ukraine Nataliya Humenyuk revealed that the island has been reclaimed from its invaders at a briefing on July 4.
"The flag of Ukraine has been planted on Zmiinyi Island," she said, as per Ukrainska Pravda.
"The military operation has been completed and the territory is now back under the jurisdiction of Ukraine.''
The occupation of Snake Island is considered by war analysts as an important step in loosing Putin's grip on the war-torn nation's southern ports, Reuters reports.
It remains unclear if Ukraine will re-establish Snake Island as a permanent military base due to the exposed nature of the outpost.
Military experts told the Guardian that part of the Black Sea around Snake Island was still considered a 'grey zone'.
This means that Ukraine does not intend to return their forces back to the island, which is vulnerable to bombardment.
According to Reuters, the flag was delivered to the now-infamous island by helicopter.
However, Humenyuk told the press that 'no one is taking any risks for the sake of a media photo' and troops will not pose with the flag on the island.
Russia claims it pulled troops from Snake Island on Thursday (June 30) as a 'gesture of goodwill' to prove to the United Nations that Putin's forces are not obstructing attempts to establish a humanitarian corridor that would allow grain to be shipped from Ukraine.
Ukraine, however, claims it drove out Russian forces following an artillery and missile assault, as per Reuters.
The island made international headlines in the first days of the Russian invasion when defiant Ukrainian troops declined to yield in an expletive-filled refusal.
13 Heroes - 🇺🇦 border guards protecting tiny Island “Zmiinyi” in the Black Sea were killed after🇷🇺 demand to surrender. 'Russian warship, go fu..k yourself': final words of Ukrainian before 🇷🇺 navy opened fire. Heroes never die! #StopRussianAggression #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/e5ifHgqnKo
— Emine Dzheppar (@EmineDzheppar) February 25, 2022
The Russian warship broadcast to those on the island and tells them to surrender or they will be fired upon.
The defiant Ukrainians broadcast back: "Go f**k yourself."
It was initially thought those defending Snake Island had died, although it was later revealed they had been taken prisoner.
The news was announced by Illia Ponomarenko, defence reporter for The Kyiv Independent, who tweeted: "It’s official. Snake Island sailors are alive, Navy confirms.
"They were taken prisoner by Russia."
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Featured Image Credit: ThaIgk/Reddit. meanderingemu/Alamy.
Topics: World News, Ukraine, Russia
