How do I turn off bastard iCloud without deleting photos on my phone?

[BuzzShitbagBobbly]

I just want to get shot of fucking iCloud from my iPhone.
(I think the last software update reactivated it because I know it was off till recently. I have other storage so iCloud is unnecessary.)

If I go into phone settings and toggle iCloud to off, it gives me dire warnings about deleting the photos (see pics). How do I keep my photos on the handset itself AND turn iCloud off - permanently if possible?

Can anyone PLEASE give me idiot instructions before I launch my phone out the window?

I would transfer photos to USB then delete

BTW - if I select the "Download photos and videos" option it says I don't have enough space, but I know I do (It says I need an additional 2gb, but the phone itself tells me I have a good 18gb free!)

I HATE THIS PHONE.

I transferred everything to Amazon Photos (free unlimited photo storage if you are a Prime member, or there are other free storage options like Google Drive). Then I turned off iCloud. Then eventuallt jumped ship to Android who don't have such a ridiculous storage option. I never understood why there wasn't the option to delete from phone but not storage, pointless if you have a phone with low storage.

I would transfer photos to USB then delete

Can they be dragged back onto the phone after deleting - I assume via file explorer?

I don't need all of them, just the most recent ones.

And I don't want bloody iCloud.

or there are other free storage options like Google Drive). Then I turned off iCloud

I have google drive. That's where I WANT to keep the pics precisely because the Apple limit is so paltry.

But I can't see how to turn iCloud off without it deleting the pics.

I don't have a choice on the OS unfortunately, I am stuck with Apple.

The only way I could do it was back up all the photos, turn off icloud and then put back all the photos I wanted to keep on my phone.

It's a bloody stupid system

The only way I could do it was back up all the photos, turn off icloud and then put back all the photos I wanted to keep on my phone.

I have just backed up on equally fucking awful iTunes.

So do you mean I could kill iCloud, accept the deletion and then...?? Somehow add them back on - via iTunes again?

(I just tried deleting a bunch using file explorer, but it wouldn't allow me to move any back to the source folder so that doesn't seem to work)

Who the hell ever said apple was intuitive? It just gives me rage anytime I need to do anything, and then this sneaky reactivating iCloud is just infuriating!