Romania

This tiny, rocky outcrop in the north-west of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_black-whois.html'>The Black Sea was seized by Russia on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_first-whois.html'>The Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/first-whois.html'>First day of its invasion of Ukraine, and it has played an outsized role in Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_war-whois.html'>The War ever since.

After Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/more_than-whois.html'>More Than four months of repeated Ukrainian bombardment, Russian forces have abandoned Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island , or Island as it is known in Ukraine.

Russia says it has withdrawn its garrison as a " gesture of goodwill" to prove it was not obstructing grain exports, but Ukraine dismissed That claim, as Moscow continued to shell its grain stores.

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island is exposed to attacks from Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/all_directions-whois.html'>All Directions from air and sea, and the small garrison tasked with defending it - Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/first-whois.html'>First Ukrainians and later Russians - have been described as " sitting ducks" by military experts.

Seized by the Russians on 24 February, Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island is located just 35km (22 miles) off Ukraine's Coast - Well within Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_range-whois.html'>The Range of missile, artillery and drone strikes from Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_shore-whois.html'>The Shore .

And Ukraine's armed forces have done exactly That , claiming a series of devastating attacks on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island itself and any vessel bringing troop deployments and heavy weaponry.

In April, Russia's anti-aircraft capabilities in the north-western Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/black_sea-whois.html'>Black Sea were significantly weakened with the sinking of the Moskva, the flagship of its Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/black_sea-whois.html'>Black Sea Fleet.

That explains why the Kremlin was so desperate to bring in anti-aircraft systems and radio-electronic warfare to Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island . But it became a logistical nightmare for Russia to defend because it was Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/so_far-whois.html'>So Far from its main naval bases in Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_black-whois.html'>The Black Sea.

For all its attacks, Ukraine has very limited naval capacity, so has been unable to land its own force on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island .

Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov argues That stationing troops on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island makes no sense for either side as they would become an easy target. Instead, Mr Zhdanov advocates creating " fire control" - Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/maintaining-whois.html'>Maintaining the capability to strike any target approaching Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island .

That would also give greater security to Ukraine's biggest Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/black_sea-whois.html'>Black Sea port of Odesa, and the whole north-western sector of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_black-whois.html'>The Black Sea.

Russia already controls a large stretch of Ukraine's Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/black_sea-whois.html'>Black Sea Coast , plus the Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/crimean_peninsula-whois.html'>Crimean Peninsula and the entire Sea of Azov. Holding Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island completed an effective blockade of Odesa, and meant exports of the vast majority of Ukrainian grain were impossible.

It also meant Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_black-whois.html'>The Black Sea Coast became vulnerable to attack too, and military experts in Kyiv voiced fears That Russia could install long-range air defences, such as an S-400 air missile system.

A look at the map also shows That Russian control of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_island-whois.html'>The Island represented a threat to Nato member Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/romania-whois.html'>Romania - both its key port of Constanta and traffic in Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_mouth-whois.html'>The Mouth of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_river-whois.html'>The River Danube.

It is not just strategically significant - this area is also rich in reserves of petroleum and gas.

We've grown accustomed to this: Russia putting out a version of events That is wildly different from That presented by Ukraine or by Western governments.

Moscow wants us Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/to_believe-whois.html'>To Believe That there was no Russian retreat from Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island .

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_statement-whois.html'>The Statement issued by Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_russian-whois.html'>The Russian Defence Ministry claims That Russian troops there had simply completed " assigned tasks" and left. It also called Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_departure-whois.html'>The Departure " a goodwill gesture" to show That Russia wasn't hampering food exports from Ukraine.

Considering the strategic importance of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island , which has been fought over for months, and considering, too, the lack of " goodwill gestures" by Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_russian-whois.html'>The Russian armed forces in Ukraine since Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_invasion-whois.html'>The Invasion , this version of events will convince few outside Russia.

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/then_again-whois.html'>Then Again , this may be directed more at a domestic audience. The Kremlin wants Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_russian-whois.html'>The Russian public Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/to_believe-whois.html'>To Believe That :

This is not just a symbolic victory for Ukraine, it is a strategic success. For Russia this is both a setback and an embarrassing defeat.

But it will not substantially change Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_course-whois.html'>The Course of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_war-whois.html'>The War . Russia's focus is on conquering the whole of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_eastern-whois.html'>The Eastern Donbas and Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/holding_on-whois.html'>Holding On to other areas of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_south-whois.html'>The South That it seized at the start of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_war-whois.html'>The War .

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/snake_island-whois.html'>Snake Island may be in a highly strategic part of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_black-whois.html'>The Black Sea and in an ideal spot for installing sophisticated missile systems, but ultimately it is still a very small rock.

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_key-whois.html'>The Key question is whether, by forcing the Russians out, Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_ukrainians-whois.html'>The Ukrainians could consider resuming grain exports to reboot their war-ravaged economy.

Without an effective navy, there is little chance of That yet, and Russian warships maintain their dominance over Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_black-whois.html'>The Black Sea.

Ukraine has rejected Russian offers to escort grain convoys from Odessa as they would require removing mines from outside Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_port-whois.html'>The Port . However, Turkey is actively involved in trying to negotiate an agreement with both Russia and Ukraine.

Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_next-whois.html'>The Next few weeks are seen as pivotal to Ukraine's exports - because Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_next-whois.html'>The Next harvest begins Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/in_july-whois.html'>In July .

Source of news: bbc.com