INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Columns of heavy smoke were visible in the first images of Snake Island published by the Ukrainian military Thursday as Russia announced it
on the island, which is less than 1 square kilometer in size, likely became overwhelming following Western deliveries of anti-ship Harpoon
2S22 Bohdana 155 howitzers were also used to hit Russian targets on the island.Seeking to downplay claims that Russia had been forced out by
successful Ukrainian attacks, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed in a statement Thursday that the smoke rising over Snake Island was not
air-defense systems onto the island shortly after it was occupied, enabling them to tighten their control over the Black Sea, said Sam
strategic rationale that Snake Island had in the beginning was retaining wider control of the Black Sea and enabling a choice as to whether
Odesa, which appeared high in the early days of the war, shrank as the Russian offensive in southern Ukraine stalled.Russia has also been
accused of using its naval forces in the Black Sea and military systems stationed on Snake Island to enforce an economic blockade of
of goodwill, the Russian Armed Forces fulfilled their tasks on Snake Island and withdrew," Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov
on June 17, according to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.And three gas production platforms about 70 kilometers west of Snake Island were struck
