Volodymyr Zelensky
As Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine entered its 500th day, Volodymyr Zelensky visited a Black Sea island whose defenders defied a Russian cruiser at the start of the attack.
Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, “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 everyone who fights for security in our Black Sea! Honor!” through his official Twitter handle.
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
Ukraine’s president said, “Today we are on Snake Island, which will never be conquered by the occupiers, like the whole of Ukraine, because we are the country of the brave”.
“I want to thank from here, from this place of victory, each of our soldiers for these 500 days”, he added.
Russia took Snake Island shortly after its invasion began on February 24, 2022. Later, a radio conversation in which Ukrainian soldiers were heard urging the crew of Russia’s assault cruiser demanding their surrender to ‘go fuck yourself’ went viral.
Ukrainian soldiers were captured and then exchanged for Russian POWs. In June of last year, Kyiv reclaimed the island.
The audio of this verbal exchange was widely distributed, and the island became a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance, appearing on posters at support rallies throughout the world.
Moskva, the Russian ship involved, sank in the Black Sea in April after what Moscow claimed was an explosion on board. Ukraine claimed to have fired missiles against the cruiser.
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