Russian invasion troops are trying to encircle Lysychansk, Ukraine has occupied Snake Island
Russian invading forces have left Ukraine’s Snake Island in the Black Sea. This is according to the statements of the Ukrainian army and the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The RBK-Ukraine server, citing the Southern Command of the Ukrainian Forces, first reported that after a night attack by Ukrainian troops, the Russians evacuated and probably left the island.
Moscow immediately confirmed the withdrawal, but justified it as its goodwill with regard to exports of agricultural products from Ukraine, according to the TASS news agency.
The Southern Command of the Ukrainian Forces announced on social media today that the Russian side hastily evacuated by speedboats the remains of its crew on the island after a night operation by the Ukrainian army, which launched rocket and artillery strikes on it.
The island is currently on fire and there are explosions, according to the Ukrainian army.
Moscow confirmed the departure from Snake Island, but provided a different explanation. “On June 30, as part of goodwill, the Russian Armed Forces ceased their tasks on Snake Island and withdrew the garrison there.
This proves to the world community that the Russian Federation is not obstructing UN efforts to create a humanitarian corridor for the removal of agricultural products from the territory of Ukraine,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
Russia occupied Ukraine’s small but strategically important Snake Island on the first day of the invasion.
The islet, about 150 kilometers south of Odessa, became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance when the crew indiscriminately rejected calls from a Russian warship to lay down its arms.
“The enemy, with the support of artillery, is trying to block the city of Lysychansk and take control of the section of road between Lysychansk and Bakhmut,” the Ukrainian General Staff writes.
He also said that the attacking Russian troops were shelling civilian infrastructure in the region.
“Ukrainian soldiers stopped the offensive and inflicted significant losses on the occupiers in the areas near the villages of Klynove and Novoluhanske, in addition to repelling an attack in the direction of the Vuhlehirsk power plant. In both cases, the enemy withdrew,” the General Staff reports.
