In the myth ofsnake islandAbandoned yesterday by Russian forces as a “goodwill gesture,” according to the Kremlin, under the weight of Ukrainian attacks Kyiv, there is the whole Russo-Ukrainian war, including the mystery of underground mediation. The last, yesterday, that of Indonesian President Joko Widodo announcing that he has delivered Putin a message from the President Zelensky. “I have expressed my willingness to establish communication between the two leaders.” Back to the island, the dimensions of the legend are the 17 hectares that emerge in the Black Sea, a little over 3 kilometers of coastline. No trees, the wind sweeps across this dry land crust lost in the Black Sea, 45 kilometers from southern Ukraine, 30 kilometers from Romania, 140 kilometers from the port of Odessa, 170 kilometers from the Romanian NATO base Mihail Kogalniceanu. Able to control traffic to the Bosphorus, which among other things transports the grain blocked in silos.
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THE ADMIRAL
13 Ukrainians occupied the outpost when on February 24 the flagship of the Russian fleet, the “Moskva”, appeared within sight of the island and ordered the surrender. A few words on the radio: «This is a Russian military ship… I suggest you lay down your arms and surrender to avoid a bloodbath and unnecessary casualties. If not, we will bomb you.” Guard Roman Gribov decides in a matter of seconds. According to the British “Telegraph”, which almost created a sequel on the island of snakes, he speaks to a colleague. “Well, that’s it. I tell him to go f…? That’s how we understand each other.” And that’s actually what it says. “Russian warship, get f…” phrase that will become a flag for all Ukrainians. Transforms into t-shirts in stores. And in a stamp with a Ukrainian guarding the island, showing the average index of the “Moskva” with all its guns and hull, which, moreover, are being destroyed and sunk by the Ukrainians, to the detriment of Putin. David’s sling hits Goliath. The myth feeds on the death scams of all thirteen “defenders” of the naval bulwark, who instead “rise” and are unexpectedly exchanged with other prisoners returning home. Including the author of the historical answer to the Russian radio operators. But the Ukrainians never gave up on reclaiming the island, putting into action a very simple strategy: to destroy anything Russian that comes close to these miserable but crucial 17 hectares of barren land.
INTELLIGENCE
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence service, explains that anyone who manages to hold positions on the island “Zmiiny” “controls the surface and partially the sky of southern Ukraine and can prohibit the movements of merchant ships in all directions from the south of the country”. In fact, Russia, having captured this controversial handkerchief, tried to install Pantsir-S, Tor-M2 and 9K35 Strela medium-short-range missile launchers. He also planned to use S-400 launchers there to hit Odessa with 48N6 rockets. The latest Ukrainian attack was recorded just yesterday morning: the neutralization of a Pantsir system. But before that, it had all been a trickle of videos that gave wings to Ukrainian pride. Here’s a drone shooting down one of the approaching Russian helicopters. The fate of the “Moskva” had made the Russian presence on the island even more precarious, as it was not adequately covered by the flagship’s radar screen. Until yesterday, an announcement that hides a mystery. The Russians were the first to give an articulated version of what they presented as their choice.
“On June 30, as an act of goodwill, the Federation Armed Forces completed the tasks assigned to the Isle of Snakes and withdrew the stationed garrison,” the Defense Ministry said. “This will show the international community that Russia is not interfering in the UN’s efforts to organize a humanitarian corridor for the export of agricultural products.” Now it is up to the Ukrainian side, which has not yet cleared the Black Sea coast near the coast”. Words pointing to an agreement Erdogan’s Turkey has been working on for weeks to ensure the security of the “grain corridors”. The Russians say: we liberated the island, now the Ukrainians are removing mines from Odessa waters. But in the meantime, shouts of victory can be heard from Kyiv. “Ukrainian forces expelled the Russians,” wrote Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office, on Telegram. “The enemy has abandoned them. We forced him to do it,” says General Staff spokesman Oleksiy Gromov. And the myth reaches the NATO summit, where US President Biden says: “Snake Island has been revived, we will stay with Ukraine as long as necessary”.