What Ukraine would need to retake Snake Island

A Ukrainian move on Snake Island is framed as a limited sea-control problem: Russian surface cover and local air defences would have to be removed before a helicopter assault became reasonable.

Question

Could Ukraine retake Snake Island without ships capable of a conventional opposed landing?

Short answer

Only after Russian surface cover and local air defences were weakened; the likely method would be a helicopter assault rather than a conventional amphibious landing.

Notes

Ukraine did not need a conventional amphibious fleet simply to use the sea for manoeuvre, but an opposed landing remained too costly while Russian surface ships covered Snake Island. Moskva and major frigates are described as providing the deterrent presence that kept an assault force away. With no suitable Ukrainian landing ships, the likely method would be a helicopter assault rather than a conventional beach landing. An attempt therefore becomes plausible only after Russian naval cover and the island's air defences had been sufficiently reduced.