Regular strikes by Russian military in the area near Snake Island, where on December 5th the Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down an enemy Su-24M bomber, may be linked to Kremlin's attempts to demonstrate strength in the Black Sea region.

The Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom reported this in Twitter (X).

The department analyzed the recent incident of the destruction of the Russian Su-24M, most likely downed by a Ukrainian surface-to-air missile from an anti-aircraft missile system over the northwest part of the Black Sea near Snake Island.

"Since summer 2023, Russia has continued to conduct high-risk, crewed strike missions against the island," noted British intelligence.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the UK, Russian occupiers may carry out such missions primarily for informational purposes, as Snake Island has become a "symbol of Ukrainian resistance."

Russia wants to demonstrate its ability to project power in the Black Sea, the publication notes.

The British ministry also added that the Russian plane's two-person crew most likely perished, and it will be extremely challenging for interveners to succeed in search and rescue operations.

"Both sides still suffer regular combat aircraft losses. Overall, air defences continue to severely limit the effectiveness of tactical air operations," the publication stated.