US Department of Defense identifies reason for Russia's withdrawal from Snake Island

Snake Island is of strategic significance to both Russia and Ukraine. Photo: BBC

Russia's decision to withdraw from Snake Island in the Black Sea was due to significant pressure from Ukrainian forces as well as the recent deployment of Harpoon missiles to Kiev, a senior US Defense Department official said.

“In our assessment, Russia’s withdrawal from Snake Island was due to Ukraine’s successful use of recently acquired Harpoon missiles to attack Russian supply ships,” the US official said at a press briefing.

The official also admitted that the withdrawal of Russian troops from Snake Island is not a “cure” for Ukraine, but could help Kiev easily protect Odessa from potential attacks and facilitate the opening of sea corridors.

Earlier, on June 30, the Russian Defense Ministry announced its withdrawal from Snake Island near Odessa. Russia called this a “goodwill gesture” to show the world that Moscow would not interfere with UN efforts to organize a humanitarian corridor for grain exports from Ukraine.

In a statement on July 1, Alexey Chernyak, Deputy Speaker of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament), said that Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea outpost was to protect the lives of its soldiers after the West transferred a series of rocket artillery to Ukraine. However, Russia still controls Snake Island.

Snake Island is a strip of land measuring just 17 hectares, located 40 km off the coast of Romania - a NATO member country. In recent months, Ukrainian forces have tried to retake the island but have failed, losing many soldiers, fighter jets and drones./.