Ukraine: Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has shared a video of his visit to Snake Island, an island that has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, as the country’s war with Russia reaches its 500th day. At the beginning of the conflict, Ukrainian soldiers stationed on Snake Island famously defied an order from a Russian warship to surrender. While the island was initially seized by Russia, it was later reclaimed by Ukraine.
In the video posted on Telegram, Mr. Zelenskyy referred to Snake Island as a “place of victory” and emphasized that Ukraine would never allow it to be reconquered. The footage, which did not include a specific date, showcased Mr. Zelenskyy arriving on the island by boat and paying his respects at a memorial by placing flowers. Mr. Zelenskyy emphasized that the island symbolized Ukraine’s determination to regain every inch of its territory that has been taken by Russia since the start of the war on 24th February 24, 2022.
500 days of the full-scale war.
Snake Island. The free island of free Ukraine.
I am grateful to everyone who fought here against the occupiers. We commemorated the heroes who gave their lives in this battle – one of the most important during the full-scale war.
Glory to… pic.twitter.com/RODccfWkWm
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 8, 2023
Mr. Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the soldiers who have fought for Ukraine during the 500 days of conflict in the video. The incident that made Snake Island widely known occurred when Russia’s flagship warship, Moskva, arrived at the island shortly after the war began and ordered Ukrainian soldiers to surrender. A Ukrainian soldier’s defiant response, telling the Russian warship to “go to hell,” went viral despite the crude language used. The Ukrainian soldiers were eventually captured, but they were later exchanged for Russian prisoners. In June of the following year, Ukrainian forces successfully recaptured Snake Island.
The release of the video coincides with Mr. Zelenskyy’s recent diplomatic tour to meet with European leaders, during which he aimed to bolster support for Ukraine’s NATO membership. The visit to Snake Island serves as a reminder of Ukraine’s ongoing struggle against Russia and its determination to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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