Zelenskyy: Let every Russian captain see the Ukrainian flag on Zmiinyi Island
Alona Mazurenko — Thursday, 7 July 2022, 23:18
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked the Ukrainian defenders who liberated Zmiinyi (Snake) Island from the Russian invaders.
Source: Presidential video address
Quote: "I want to express my gratitude for the final stage of the battle for Zmiinyi [Island]. Our national flag has been planted there. This operation lasted for two months.
Intelligence, Special Operations Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine’s ‘Alfa’ unit, border guards, gunners, Naval Forces, the Air Force.
And now let every Russian captain — be it a captain of a ship or an aircraft — see the Ukrainian flag on Zmiinyi [Island] and know that our state is unbreakable."
Details: Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian partners have accurate information about Ukraine's defence needs on each front.
This particularly concerns air defence and modern jet artillery.
The President added that the more defence aid is given to Ukraine now, the faster the war will end with Ukraine's victory and the smaller the losses of all countries of the world, including the loss to the US from Russian pressure on democratic societies.
Background:
- On 24 February two vessels approached Zmiinyi Island, and the Russians demanded that the soldiers of the Izmail border detachment surrender. The border guards replied "F**k off, Russian ship" - but Russian troops seized the island.
- On 30 June, the Russians fled Zmiinyi Island after strikes by Ukrainian troops, but called it a "goodwill gesture".
- On 7 July, the Ukrainian military returned the Ukrainian flag to Zmiinyi Island, which had been controlled by Russian troops for several months.
