Russia’s retreat from Snake Island ‘changes situation’: Zelenskyy

Kyiv, Jul 1 (EFE).- Ukraine’s president said the withdrawal of Russian troops from the island of Zmiinyi, also known as Snake Island, in the Black Sea “significantly changes the situation” in the area.

Russia announced Thursday that it was withdrawing from this small but strategic enclave in the Black Sea as a “gesture of goodwill,” according to Moscow.

“On June 30, as a gesture of goodwill, the Russian armed forces completed their tasks on Snake Island and withdrew a garrison stationed there,” the defense ministry said of the island it took at the beginning of the war.

However, the Ukrainians believe the reason for the retreat was because the Kremlin cannot maintain its strategy in the area after having lost warships.

“Zmiinyi Island is a strategic point and it significantly changes the situation in the Black Sea. It does not guarantee safety yet, it does not yet guarantee that the enemy will not return. But it already limits the actions of the occupiers significantly. Step by step, we will drive them out of our sea, our land and our sky,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a speech posted to Telegram.

However, he added that the situation in Donbas, which includes the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, remains the most difficult.

“The fire superiority of the occupiers is still extremely tangible: they have already taken everything from their reserves to hit us: the Luhansk region, the Donetsk region. I am grateful to everyone who defends our positions in such conditions. This is true heroism,” he added.

Zelenskyy also recalled that the United States on Thursday announced a new support package for Ukraine, mainly in terms of defense: “Soon it will get to the front line to work for Ukraine, for the defense of freedom.”

“Today, another significant step in our rapprochement with the European Union took place – Ukraine launched a significant export of electricity to the territory of the EU, to Romania. And this is only the first stage. We are preparing to increase supply,” he stressed. EFE

int-rml/tw