28 hours in open sea: new details emerge on Ukraine’s intelligence operation to liberate Snake Island

In the summer of 2022, Ukrainian special forces from the elite "Tymur" unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate conducted one of their most challenging and dangerous operations, liberating the strategically important Snake Island in the Black Sea. Despite the obstacles they faced during combat and after successfully completing the mission, the soldiers had to spend 28 hours in open water, fighting for their survival.

Details of the operation, carried out by the intelligence operatives in summer 2022, were reported by The Wall Street Journal. A journalist who visited Snake Island noted the rocky coastline, scarred by shelling and littered with the remnants of destroyed Russian equipment.

Preparation and start of the operation

The operation to liberate Snake Island commenced in mid-June 2022. A GUR officer with the call sign Shakespeare told the media outlet that Ukrainian forces systematically targeted Russian troops.

"We forced them to leave the island in two weeks," he stated.

A key objective was to establish control over Snake Island and gather intelligence. A group of six fighters, led by a soldier with the call sign Ramses, landed on the island under the cover of night. They had to navigate mined areas, working their way through rain and fog, and collect crucial documents left behind by the Russian military.

Raising the flag and facing trials

After successfully completing their mission, the special forces raised the Ukrainian flag over Snake Island. However, as the group prepared to return, the weather worsened. A strong storm disabled two engines on their boat, eventually causing it to capsize. The fighters were forced to transfer to an inflatable boat equipped only with oars.

In the midst of the storm and high waves, the defenders were swept into open sea, close to gas drilling rigs occupied by Russian troops.

For 28 hours, Ukrainian soldiers fought for their lives, constantly pumping water out of the boat. Despite the challenging weather conditions and the risk of being spotted by the enemy, they managed to survive and return to the mainland.

The struggle for gas drilling rigs

The WSJ notes that the main battle in this part of the Black Sea is now over several gas rigs east of the island that have been seized by Russia.

Enemy troops have placed equipment there to monitor Ukrainian forces and track missiles and drones that Kyiv uses to target the occupied Crimean peninsula.

What is known about the liberation of Snake Island

On June 30, 2022, Russian invaders were forced to abandon Snake Island after Ukrainian defenders launched a series of strikes, including from the Ukrainian "Bohdana" howitzer. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the withdrawal, describing it as a "gesture of goodwill."

On July 7, Operational Command "South" reported that Ukrainian special forces successfully landed on the island and completed the task of clearing it. The military raised and secured the Ukrainian flag, which had been brought to the island earlier, as a "symbol of victory and rebirth from these ruins."

President Zelensky remarked on the first anniversary of the operation that the liberation of Snake Island is one of Ukraine's most significant victories.