In its daily update, British intelligence on Tuesday reported that the fighting on “Slangeøya” continues.
The island, located in the Black Sea just over 30 kilometers south of the port city of Odesa in Ukraine, has been much talked about and was one of the first places where attacks were reported when the Russians invaded Ukraine on the night of 24 February.
Since then, there have been reports of new attacks on the island, where Russian soldiers have settled.
On Friday morning, new satellite images from Maxar Technologies show that there has been activity there in recent days.
SUNNED: On the northern part of Slangeøya, recent Maxar images show that a ship is below the water surface close to land. The photo agency assumes that it is a Russian landing craft of the Serna class. Photo: Maxar Technologies
sea view
Hit by drones
– Today’s images of the island, and the surrounding area, show the wake of probable missile attacks on a Russian landing craft of the Serna class near the island, writes the satellite image agency.
Maxar further points out that in the northern part of the island one can see that what is probably such a landing craft has sunk. The agency writes that it “was recently hit by Ukrainian drones”.
According to Maxar, the pictures also show clouds of smoke in the area – “probably from missiles / ammunition that were recently fired at the ship”.
– On the island itself, the pictures give a closer overview of the damaged buildings from recent attacks, as well as several Russian anti-aircraft vehicles deployed nearby, writes Maxar.
DISPUTED ISLAND: This satellite image of Slangeøya is from Tuesday, 8 May. Photo: Reuters / NTB
sea view
In fire
According to military authorities in the Odesa region, Ukraine has attacked a Russian naval vessel in the Black Sea. Thursday night it was on fire, according to the authorities.
Serhiy Bratsjuk, head of the local military administration, says it is a logistics ship called Vsevolod Bobrov.
It is damaged, according to Bratsjuk, but he did not say anything about the extent of the attack, writes Sky News.
Ukraine claims that the ship was hit near Slangeøya in the Black Sea, where there have been fighting recently, writes NTB.
SMOKE: The new photos show that smoke is rising from the area – “probably from missiles / ammunition that was recently fired at the ship”, according to Maxar. Photo: Maxar Technologies
sea view
Several reasons
What really makes this island so special, and why is it so important? Former Lieutenant General Arne Bård Dalhaug points to several reasons.
– Ukraine has needed to defend the island since last summer, Dalhaug says to Dagbladet and continues:
– It is part of one of the scenarios where the Russians were to make a so-called «landgrabbing»- almost a strategic attack, take the island and use it in negotiations later. Therefore, it was remilitarized in the late summer of last year.
The retired lieutenant general says that the island is located in an area that makes it extra important.
– The island is a means, more than a goal. It is about Russia wanting control of large parts of the Black Sea because it can give them a strategic advantage.
– If you can place sea target missiles on the island, you will be able to dominate the northwestern part of the Black Sea, Dalhaug points out.
