Ukraine will fight for Snake Island in Black sea 'as long as is needed'

Ukraine will fight for the remote Zmiinyi Island (Snake Island) in the Black Sea "for as long as is needed", the head of Ukrainian military intelligence said on Friday. "Whoever controls the island can at any time block the movement of civilian ships in all directions to the south of Ukraine," Kyrylo Budanov said in televised comments.

Renewed fighting around Snake Island in recent days may become a battle for control of the western Black Sea coast, according to some defense officials, as Russian forces struggle to make headway in Ukraine's north and east.