The Strategic Importance of Snake Island: A Military Perspective
On May 7, 2022, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR MO) released a documentary film titled “The Strategic Importance of Snake Island: A Military Perspective,” focusing on the military actions to liberate the island from Russian forces.
The film is available on the official GUR YouTube channel.
Key details of the airborne operation on Snake Island on May 7, 2022: essential insights
The film provides an in-depth narrative of the joint airborne operation conducted by GUR special forces and the SBU, supported by the Navy, three years ago.
According to the Ukrainian officers, this operation was prepared by intelligence as an “unexpected airborne assault using boats and army helicopters,” aimed at driving the occupiers off the island.
The commander of the GUR special unit, code-named “Shaman,” stated that the landing and attack by Ukrainian fighters “were a shock to the occupiers.”
“They didn’t expect it, and we hit them hard,” the officer remarked.
GUR indicated that the battle for Snake Island lasted most of the day, forcing the Russians to deploy aviation and reserves to repel the attack. Ultimately, Ukrainian paratroopers had to return to their initial positions, but intelligence emphasizes that this assault “proved that the island can be liberated.”
Why is Snake Island strategically important?
Kirilo Budanov, head of GUR, mentioned in the film: “We significantly enriched our experience, especially through our actions on this island. Both during the attempt to capture it and after its liberation, when we had to master the captured equipment left by the Russians.”
GUR reminded that the subsequent liberation of Snake Island in the summer of 2022 allowed Ukraine to regain control over crucial maritime trade routes for exports.
“There was a special forces unit of the Russian army that did everything possible to block shipping in the region. Now that won’t happen,” Budanov stated.
The liberation of Snake Island, GUR concluded, became a key factor for the functioning of the “grain corridor,” vital for the Ukrainian economy and global food security.
