On July 4, the Ukrainian flag was once again reinstalled on Snake Island. The official return of the island to the jurisdiction of Ukraine has both symbolic and military significance. In addition, it is also an archeological site of national importance – “a Cultural layer of Snake Island” in Odesa region was entered into the State Register of Immovable (Tangible) Monuments of Ukraine by Resolution No. 928 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated September 3, 2009.
“Snake Island became one of the symbols of this war. And the return of the Ukrainian flag to it is a great signal to the enemy that we will return everything to our lands,” said Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
“a Cultural layer of Snake Island” in Odesa region:
· is an object of cultural heritage, which is a product of a vanished civilization;
· played a significant role in the ancient history and religious ideas of the Greek colonies of the Northern Black Sea region;
· is a location of the temple dedicated to the cult of Achilles – the hero of the Trojan War and the patron saint of sailors and the Black Sea (Pontus);
· is a place of archeological finds of ancient products and coins, as one of the forms of sacrifices to the gods;
· repeatedly mentioned in ancient written sources;
· is a landmark of archeology and a source of information about the past of Ukraine and humanity in general.
The fact that a large number of shipwrecks have been found in the island’s waters since the ancient era adds value to this cultural site. This makes it possible to consider the island as a possible maritime memorial.
It will be reminded that the units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have recently completed a military operation to clear Snake Island of russian equipment and weapons after the invaders fled to the temporarily occupied Crimea.
