On 13 July, Russia dropped a high-explosive bomb on Zmiinyi Island, also known as Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, the Ukrainian military reports. The attack might be the Russian reaction to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s visit to the island on 8 July.
The Ukrainian Army’s Operational Command South reported that on 13 July, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian island near the Danube Delta 35 kilometers off Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast coast:
“At dawn, the enemy attacked Zmiinyi (Snake) Island with a high-explosive bomb, using tactical aircraft,” the Сommand wrote on Facebook.
The attack on the island without a permanent Ukrainian garrison might be related to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s recent visit there on 8 July.
- Russia occupied Zmiinyi Island in the first days of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
- Ukrainian forces systematically attacked the Russian garrison on the island. On 30 June 2022, Russians evacuated their personnel from the island, and on 4 July 2022, the Ukrainian flag was raised on Zmeinyi.
- In February 2023, Russia bombed the island.
- On 8 July 2023, President Zelenskyy visited Zmiinyi Island, honoring 500 days of the all-out war.
Read also:
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- Russia bombs strategic Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, liberated by Ukraine in July
- What Ukraine’s liberation of strategic Zmiinyi (Snake) Island means for the war
