MOSCOW, May 10. /TASS/. The bodies of 27 Ukrainian special ops forces troops as well as nationalists have been left on Snake Island after Kiev’s operation failed, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.

"Today, Russian service members recovered three bodies of Ukrainian commandoes washed ashore. Now, as a result of Kiev’s failed operation, there remain 27 bodies of militants from Ukrainian special ops forces as well as nationalists on Snake Island," he said.

On May 9, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that more than 50 commandoes had been eliminated in an attempt to seize Snake Island by Ukrainian Armed Forces.

On February 24, Ukraine lost control of Snake Island located off the Odessa region in the Black Sea near the Romanian border. Konashenkov said then, "In the area of Snake Island, 82 Ukrainian servicemen laid down their weapons and voluntarily surrendered to the Russian Armed Forces. Currently, they are signing written vows to reject military resistance. They will be returned to their families shortly.".