President Volodymyr Zelenskyi named the names of the soldiers who died during the deoccupation of the island on the first anniversary of the liberation of Snake island from the Russian occupiers.
"Last spring, no one expected from Ukraine that we would be able to implement, in particular, this fundamental defense task: to provide security to Slake island, and therefore to a significant part of the Black Sea water area. But our soldiers did it," said the countryʼs leader.
According to him, the intelligence fighters, the "Alpha" special unit of the SBU, the Navy and army aviation of the Ground Forces Command, Air Force aviation and border guards took part in the operation to liberate the island.
"We will always remember our heroes, our soldiers, who gave their lives for the sake of this Ukrainian victory," added the president and announced the names of those who can be named:
Intelligence fighters: Ruslan Popov, Hero of Ukraine, captain of the 1st rank; Oleh Zaitsev, Hero of Ukraine, junior lieutenant; Vitaly Ignatenko, Hero of Ukraine, soldier.
"Alpha" fighters of the SBU: Volodymyr Kiselyov, Hero of Ukraine, captain; Oleksandr Krykunenko, Hero of Ukraine, major.
Navy soldiers: Ihor Bedzai, Hero of Ukraine, colonel; Mykhailo Zaremba, major; Serhiy Mushchytskyi, captain; Yuriy Pirog, staff sergeant.
"Eternal memory and glory to all those who give their lives so that our beautiful Ukraine lives," Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up.
- Russian forces captured Snake Island on the first day of a full-scale invasion — February 24, 2022. For several months, fighting continued for him. The Armed Forces destroyed the equipment and personnel of the occupying forces.
- The Russian military left the island in the summer of 2022. On June 30, the Operational Command "South" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that after another attack on the island, the occupiers hastily evacuated the remnants of the garrison with two speedboats and left Snake Island. The General Staff noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine completely liberated the Odesa region from the occupiers.
- On July 7, 2022, the Ukrainian military announced that they had raised the flag of Ukraine over the island.