"500 days of full-scale war. Snake Island. Free island of free Ukraine," Zelensky tweeted on Saturday.
"I am grateful to all those who fought here against the occupiers. We honored the memory of the heroes who gave their lives in this battle - one of the most important during a full-scale war," he added.
Snake Island is a small island of 0.17 square kilometers located in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, about 35 kilometers east of the Danube delta, near Ukraine's border with Romania.
Russian troops occupied the area during the initial phase of the invasion of Ukraine. According to reports, they subsequently deployed advanced anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare stations and other weapons and equipment there to provide cover for a possible landing or a massive shelling of Odessa.
However, Ukrainian troops successfully recaptured the island in June 2022. Notably, on February 24, 2022, the first day of the Russian invasion, Snake Island was specifically targeted, gaining significant attention when an audio recording surfaced featuring the crew of the Russian cruiser Moskva demanding surrender from Ukrainian soldiers. In a memorable response that quickly spread across the internet, one Ukrainian soldier retorted, "Russian warship, f*** you!"
(jh)
Source: PAP