and our will ripley got an exclusive first look at the island, the first time since ukraine recaptured it. here is what he saw when he arrived. reporter: as the saying goes, whoever controls snake island controls the black sea. the safest way to get there, the ukrainian military s inflatable speed boat with seating for six. it s small enough to stay out of sight. we are really getting tossed around out here, but we need to take a small boat because we need to stay out of the sights of russian reconnaissance aircraft. reporter: safer than a helicopter but no protection from the black sea s big waves, bitter cold, and whipping winds. not to mention the mines. snake island s craggy cliffs are a welcome sight. we enter snake island by climbing up a pile of
in and of itself because he hasn t left ukraine since the start of the invasion. but he ll be here for that announcement of patriots and more. all right, oren liebermann at the pentagon. phil mattingly at the white house with the breaking news. thanks to both of you. quote, russian warship, go f yourself. [ bleep ]. nearly a year after ukrainian guard on snake island uttered that now defiant phrase, the island remains firmly in ukrainian hands. in an exclusive, will ripley and his crew are the first journalists to make the perilous trip to that island, littered with land mines and russian wreckage. reporter: as the saying goes, whoever controls snake island controls the black sea. the safest way to get there, the ukrainian military s inflatable speed boat, with seating for six. it s small enough to stay out of sight. we are really getting tossed around out here, but we need to take a small boat, because we