Russia has admitted its forces have fled from Snake Island, the strategic Black Sea outpost, in a major blow to Vladimir Putin.
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the news claiming they left as a humanitarian gesture.
"As a goodwill gesture, Russian troops have today completed the performance of tasks on Snake Island and withdrawn the garrison stationed there," the ministry said.
Various pro-government Russian Telegram channels also confirmed the abandonment, with one saying: "After a heroic defence, our troops left Serpent's Island."
The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office, Andriy Yermak wrote on Twitter: "KABOOM! No Russian troops on the Snake Island anymore. Our Armed Forces did a great job."
Snake Island was occupied by Russia on the first day of its invasion and achieved global fame when Ukrainian border guards stationed there rejected a Russian warship's demand for their surrender.
Reports say the Ukrainian military heavily bombarded Snake Island overnight, forcing the Russian military forces on the island to flee on five small boats, blowing up hardware on their departure.
Ukrainian military expert Oleh Zhdanov previously told the BBC that if Russian troops succeeded in occupying Snake Island, or Zmiinyi Island, that they would end up "controlling the sea, land and air in the north-west part of the Black Sea and in the south of Ukraine".
The Russian Ministry of Defence says its so-called retreat shows the global community that "the Russian Federation is not hampering the UN's efforts to organise a humanitarian corridor to ship farming produce out of Ukraine".
Russian military spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the decision means Ukraine can no longer claim that its inability to export grain is "due to Russia's total control of the northwestern part of the Black Sea".
"Now it is up to the Ukrainian side that is still not clearing the Black Sea coastline, including the harbour waters," the ministry said.
Ukraine's Operational Southern Command reported earlier today that on June 28 Russian forces made heavy losses on the island, as a result of a successful military operation by Ukraine.
They reportedly lost 40 soldiers, a Pantsir S-1 missile system, two howitzers "Msta-B" and a self-propelled "Msta-S" howitzer as well as three units of armour and other vehicles.
One Pantsir is worth around $15million (£12m).
The Operational Command said on Facebook today that the opponent "hurriedly evacuated the remains of the garrison and now the island is covered in fire."
