The Ukrainian flag has been raised once again on Snake Island after Russian troops withdrew from the region last week, a Ukrainian military spokeswoman said today.

According to foreign media, Telegrafi reports, Natalia Humeniuk said in a press conference: "The territory (Snake Island) has returned to the jurisdiction of Ukraine."

Separately, last week, Ukrainian troops forced Russia to withdraw from the Black Sea outlet southeast of Odesa, which Moscow seized at the start of the war.

Russia had used the island to impose a blockade on Ukraine, one of the world's biggest exporters of grains and a major producer of seeds for vegetable oils.

Thus, the withdrawal of the Kremlin marked an important victory for the Ukrainian army.

Russia said it had decided to withdraw as a "gesture of goodwill" to show Moscow was not obstructing UN efforts to open a humanitarian corridor allowing grain to be sent from Ukraine.

But Ukraine said it had driven out Russian forces after an overnight artillery and rocket attack.

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