A satellite tv for pc picture exhibits a collapsed bridge over the Seym River in Glushkovo district, following a Ukrainian assault in Kursk area, Russia, August 17, 2024 | Photograph credit score: Reuters
Ukraine destroyed a key bridge in Russia’s Kursk area and attacked a second bridge close by lower than two weeks after its shock cross-border incursion, disrupting Russian provide routes and presumably signaling its troops are planning to dig in.
Professional-Kremlin Russian army bloggers have acknowledged that the destruction of the primary bridge, which spanned the Seim River close to the city of Glushkovo, will forestall provides from reaching Russian forces repelling the Ukrainian incursion, though Moscow might nonetheless use pontoons and smaller bridges within the space. Ukrainian Air Power chief Lieutenant Mykola Oleshchuk on Friday (17 August 2024) posted a video of a Ukrainian airstrike splitting the bridge in two.
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Lower than two days later, Ukrainian troops attacked a second bridge in Russia, based on Oleshchuk and the Russian regional governor, Alexei Smirnov.
As of Sunday morning, there was no official details about the precise location of the second assault on the bridge. Russian Telegram channels reported {that a} second assault had taken place on a bridge over the Seim River within the village of Zvannoe.
In keeping with Russia Combine information website, the assaults left the world with just one bridge intact. Related Press We weren’t instantly capable of confirm these claims, but when confirmed, the Ukrainian strikes would additional complicate Moscow’s makes an attempt to replenish its forces in Kursk and evacuate civilians.
Glushkovo is situated about 12 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border and roughly 16 kilometers northwest of the principle battle zone at Kursk. Zvannoe is situated one other 8 kilometers northeast.
kyiv has remained silent on the scope and deliberate targets of its lightning advance on Russia, the largest assault on the nation since World Warfare Two, which took the Kremlin without warning and noticed dozens of villages and a whole lot of prisoners fall into Ukrainian arms.
Ukrainians have superior in a number of instructions towards the Kursk area, assembly little resistance and sowing chaos and panic. Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, mentioned final week that his forces had superior throughout 1,000 sq. kilometers (390 sq. miles) of the Kursk area, though it was not potential to independently confirm what precisely Ukrainian forces truly management.
However the assaults on the bridges, apparently geared toward thwarting a Russian counterattack on Kursk, might imply kyiv intends to hunt a foothold within the area, or a minimum of sign to Moscow that it plans to take action.
Analysts say that whereas Ukraine might attempt to consolidate its positive factors inside Russia, it might be a dangerous transfer given kyiv’s restricted assets, as a result of provide traces operating deep into Kursk can be susceptible to Russian assaults.
The incursion has already boosted Ukraine’s morale, sapped by a failed counteroffensive final summer time and months of Russian advances within the japanese Donbass area, and demonstrated its means to grab the initiative.
It resembled the lightning operation Ukraine carried out in September 2022, led by Syrskyi, during which his forces regained management of the northeastern Kharkiv area after making the most of Russian manpower shortages and lack of area fortifications.
