- Title: Ukrainians hail their troops for pushing Russians from Snake Island
- Date: 30th June 2022
- Summary: KYIV, UKRAINE (JUNE 30, 2022) (REUTERS) INDEPENDENCE SQUARE IN KYIV SOUVENIR STALL VARIOUS SNAKE ISLAND THUMBED SOUVENIRS ON SALE - BAGS, FRIDGE MAGNETS, CALENDARS (SOUNDBITE) (UKRAINIAN) VADYM (SURNAME UNKNOWN) 45-YEAR -OLD CONSTRUCTION WORKER SAYING: "Whatever Russians say is a lie. I believe that what they say should be perceived completely the other way round. The Russ
- Embargoed: 14th July 2022 13:19
- Keywords: Black Sea Russian troops withdrawal Snake Island Ukraine strategic
- Location: KYIV, UKRAINE
- City: KYIV, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001864930062022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Residents of Ukrainian capital Kyiv welcomed the news of Russian forces abandoning the strategic Black Sea outpost of Snake Island on Thursday (June 30), a major victory for Ukraine that could loosen the grip of Russia's blockade on Ukrainian ports.
Russia's defence ministry said it had decided to withdraw from the outcrop as a "gesture of goodwill" to show Moscow was not obstructing U.N. efforts to open a humanitarian corridor allowing grains to be shipped from Ukraine.
Ukraine said it had driven the Russian forces out after a massive artillery and assault overnight.
"What Russians say is a lie... The Russian forces on the Snake Island were pushed away by our boys with their artillery," Vadym, 45-year-old construction worker said.
Snake Island has held the world's attention since Russia seized it on the war's first day, when a Ukrainian guard, ordered by Russia's flagship cruiser Moskva to surrender, radioed back "Russian warship: go fuck yourself".
Ukraine's postal service in April issued one million stamps brandishing the defiant insult to Russia and the image of the Ukrainian Snake Island guard features on T-shirts, calendars and fridge magnets sold as souvenirs across Ukraine.
"We will never give up ... never ever," Karolina Gulshani, a 26-year-old artist sketching the picture of Ukraine's Independence monument.
(Production: Ivan Lyubysh Kirdey, Anna Dabrowska) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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