MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Ukraine’s General Staff with direct participation of advisers from the US and the UK plotted provocation to seize Snake Island, but it was foiled by Russia’s forces, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Monday.

"Since May 7 at the direct order of Vladimir Zelensky the Ukrainian General Staff with the direct participation of advisers from the US and the UK had plotted a major provocation on seizing Snake Island <…>. Due to professional steps by a unit of Russia’s Armed Forces on the island the Ukrainian provocation was foiled. The enemy sustained major losses," Konashenkov said.

According to him, over the past two days the Kiev regime made several desperate attempts of carrying out an airborne and amphibious landing on Snake Island, which is of major importance for ensuring control over the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

More than 50 Ukrainian saboteurs were destroyed during an attempt to capture Snake Island and the bodies of 24 Ukrainian servicemen remain on the shore, Konashenkov said. "As a result of a foolish provocation [by Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky only during the landing and an attempt to establish a foothold on the island more than 50 Ukrainian saboteurs were destroyed. Twenty-four bodies of the killed Ukrainian servicemen remain on the shore of Snake Island," Konashenkov stressed.

During the operation to repel attacks on the island, four Ukrainian aircraft were downed in the air, including three Su-24 and one Su-27, three Mi-8 helicopters with paratroopers onboard and one Mi-24 helicopter. Also during the airborne landing attempt on May 8 night three Ukrainian Project 58181 Centaur-class armored assault craft with Ukraine’s Navy personnel were destroyed.

Over the past two days, 29 Ukrainian drones were downed in the air, including eight Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles. Four Bayraktar drones were shot down on Monday afternoon.