February 24 – June 30, 2022 · Black Sea Theater
February 24 – June 30, 2022
A tiny Ukrainian island outpost in the Black Sea became the war's first legendary moment. On February 24, the Russian warship Moskva and a border guard vessel demanded the island's small Ukrainian garrison surrender. The garrison's radio response — 'Russian warship, go f**k yourself' — went viral globally and became a rallying cry. The garrison was captured, but the island became a contested symbol. Ukraine launched repeated drone and missile strikes on Russian naval assets supporting the island occupation. On June 30, Russia withdrew from Snake Island entirely, citing 'goodwill gesture' — in reality abandoning an exposed position Ukraine had made untenable.
Commanders