A Tour Of Ukraine's Battle-Scarred Snake Island
Ukraine's Snake Island is seen from an inflatable boat on December 18.
The Ukrainian military gave a tour of Snake Island to RFE/RL correspondent Roman Pahulych, a photographer from AP, and a CNN film crew on December 18.
A Ukrainian soldier stands next to a sign for Snake Island. Graffiti on the white paint says, “Ours!”
Snake Island was captured by Russian warships on February 24 during the opening hours of the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian soldiers and stray cats look through Russian military food packages.
Snake Island became an icon of Ukrainian resistance when audio was released of Ukrainian soldiers telling one advancing Russian warship to “Go f**k yourself” on February 24.
A destroyed Russian Pantsir missile system on Snake Island.
Kyiv initially claimed all 13 soldiers defending the island were killed. It later emerged they had been taken prisoner. By November, all had been released in prisoner exchanges.
A destroyed helicopter on Snake Island.
Video from May captured an Mi-8 helicopter fitted with rocket pods similar to those seen here being destroyed in a massive explosion as Russian troops gathered around the aircraft.
An abandoned Russian TOR missile system.
Russia withdrew from Snake Island in June after months of Ukrainian strikes targeting the landmark. The Kremlin claimed the withdrawal was a “gesture of goodwill” to allow for food shipments to be exported from Ukraine. Western military experts believe HIMARS precision rocket artillery made the continued Russian presence on the island effectively untenable.
A rudimentary defense post on the island’s rocky coastline.
Snake Island is located just 35 kilometers from the Ukrainian mainland, meaning occupying Russian forces could be relentlessly targeted with fire from drones and rocket artillery.
Buildings on Snake Island.
The island is now under the control of fighters from Ukraine's International Legion, including Russians who have received Ukrainian citizenship.
A Ukrainian soldier at the base of a damaged, 180-year-old lighthouse on Snake Island.
Photos from 2009 show a building around this lighthouse that was destroyed during the fight for the island.
A destroyed building on Snake Island.
As well as its military base, Snake Island was home to a marine research facility. It is unclear when any civilian life will resume on the battle-scarred island.