Ukraine defence officials said that they have reinstalled their national flag on Snake Island as Russian forces have retreated from the island. Defence officials said that troops are advancing to the island in a special operation.
The Ukrinform quoted Natalia Humeniuk, head of the press center of South Ukraine’s Defense Forces saying, “The flag of Ukraine has been installed on Snake Island. The military operation has been completed, and currently, the territory has been returned to the jurisdiction of Ukraine." She said that the enemy is currently making no progress in the ground advance. Therefore, the usual method of air and missile strikes is being applied.
Humeniuk said, "Our troops are advancing in a special way – slowly but surely, as we said, within the framework of a military operation, keeping silence about it. Wherever we liberate an area, we first consolidate our positions before announcing success. On land, the enemy does not have success in advancing, so at the moment, they are applying the tactics of air and missile strikes.”
The Guardian reported that Russia claimed it had pulled out from the island on June 30 as a 'gesture of goodwill' to show it was not obstructing United Nations attempts to open a humanitarian corridor allowing grains to be shipped from Ukraine.
