Ukraine destroys key bridge in Russian Kursk territory

The Ukrainian military released footage on Sunday showing what it said was the destruction of a key bridge in Russia’s Kursk region. 

This is the second bridge reportedly struck in less than two weeks into Ukraine’s cross-border incursion that took Moscow by surprise.  

Destroying the bridges would disrupt Russian supply routes and might signal that Ukraine has intentions for its troops to dig in. 

Russia’s pro-Kremlin military bloggers have acknowledged the destruction of a first bridge which spanned the Seim River near the town of Glushkovo.  

They said its destruction will impede deliveries of supplies to Russian forces repelling Ukraine’s incursion, but that Moscow could still use pontoons and smaller bridges in the area. 

The chief of Ukraine’s air force, Lieutenant Mykola Oleshchuck, released a video of a Ukrainian airstrike splitting that bridge in two on Friday.  

As of Sunday morning, there were no official reports on where exactly the second bridge attack took place.  

According to Russia’s Mash news site, the attacks left the area with just one intact bridge.  

While these claims could not immediately be independently verified, if confirmed the strikes would complicate Russian attempts to replenish their forces in Kursk and evacuate civilians.  

Glushkovo lies some 12 kilometres north of the Ukrainian border, and approximately 16 kilometres northwest of the main battle zone in Kursk.   

The strikes on bridges, apparently aimed to stymie a Russian counter push in Kursk, could mean that Kyiv intends to seek a foothold in the region — or at least signal to Moscow that it plans to do so. 

Analysts say that although Ukraine could try to consolidate its gains within Russia, it might be a risky manoeuvre given Kyiv’s limited resources as supply lines extending deep into Kursk would be vulnerable to Russian strikes. 

The incursion has already boosted Ukraine’s morale, sapped by a failed counteroffensive last summer and months of grinding Russian gains in the eastern Donbas region. 

In a television interview, Belarussian President and Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko said the operation in Kursk raised the stakes of the war and that Ukraine was aiming for a better strategic position ahead of possible talks. 

“They want, if there are negotiations, to win a stronger position,” he said. 

“This kind of escalation on the part of Ukraine is an attempt to push Russia to asymmetric actions, well, let’s say, to use nuclear weapons,” Lukashenko added.