What is the military value of Zmeiny Island for Russia and Ukraine
The Ukrainian authorities continue to make attempts to return the island of Snake in the Black Sea, which was occupied by the Russian army during a special military operation. About the strategic importance of the island - in the material of "Gazeta.Ru».
The Russian army occupied the island of Zmeiny in the first days of a special military operation in Ukraine. The garrison, consisting mainly of Ukrainian border guards, chose to surrender after the warning fire of the ships of the Russian fleet. At the same time, according to Ukrainian media, a few days before, some of the servicemen were evacuated.
Ukrainian border guards had on the island a radar station "Burevestnik-1" with a detection range of large naval vessels in 40 nautical miles (just over 74 km). This equipment allowed them to observe both the sea and the mouth of the Danube - 35-40 kilometers to the coast of Romania from the Snake. The island is very small. Its territory is only 20 hectares (for comparison, the area of the Moscow Kremlin is 27.5 hectares).
The official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Major General Igor Konashenkov, stated that Kiev attempted to seize the island on the eve of May 9, and it allegedly "ended in disaster for the AFU."
"This adventure ended in disaster for Ukraine. The thoughtless PR campaign of the Kiev regime to seize the island of Zmeiny on the eve of Victory Day led to the senseless death of more than five dozen Ukrainian militants and soldiers of the elite units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the loss of four planes, ten helicopters, three boats and thirty unmanned aerial vehicles," the Russian military department said.
The failure in the attempt to return the Snake was recognized in Kiev. Moreover, they do not rule out a new assault in the future.
"Snake Island is primarily a good observation post. In Soviet times, a radar company of the air defense forces and a special detachment of the coastal surveillance system of the Navy were located here, which were equipped with the latest means of radar surveillance, " he told the newspaper.Ru" military expert, captain of the 1st rank of the reserve Viktor Makarov. - Their task was to cover the approaches to Odessa from the sea and control the airspace in this region. We followed the activity of NATO. Then Zmeiny, figuratively speaking, looked the other way, and the Ukrainian military already ensured the interests of the North Atlantic Alliance."
The expert believes that it is theoretically possible to place Russian radar surveillance stations on the Snake.
"They will monitor the skies of Romania, which is used as a transport corridor for the supply of foreign weapons to Ukraine. To monitor the coastal and marine situation and actually close the waterway in the direction of Odessa," Makarov said. At the same time, he separately noted that such placement is "quite risky because of Ukraine's attempts to constantly attack the island."
In the summer of 2021, President Zelensky visited the island, from where he led the exercises of the Ukrainian fleet.
"It is impossible to concentrate any significant forces on this island, both in terms of equipment and personnel, it is impossible to equip ammunition depots. There is no airfield on the island, only helicopters can land, there are no berths for large ships. But as an observation and headquarters point near Odessa and the coast of Romania, it is quite suitable, reconnaissance drones can also be used from here," he told the newspaper.Ru" military expert Vladislav Shurygin.
The expert added that the strategic importance of the Snake is precisely in its location.
- Shurygin summarized.
Viktor Sokirko
