Ukrainian forces on Tues. launched an attack on the Black Sea island of Zmiinyi, also known as Snake Island, and claimed to have inflicted "significant losses" to Russian troops stationed there, according to a spokesperson for Odesa's military administration.
Russia's defense ministry confirmed the attack but claimed it shot down 13 unmanned drones and that its air defenses successfully repelled all missiles headed for the island. Neither the Ukrainian nor Russian claims on damage inflicted could be independently verified.
This invasion is an egregious violation of international law. Putin's ultimate aim is to restore the Soviet empire, even if it takes massive bloodshed and false pretexts such as calling the 2014 Ukrainian revolution after a fraudulent election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to rewrite history.
NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.