KYIV: Ukraine reported on Sunday that it had struck a second critical bridge in Russia’s Kursk region, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s supply routes as its unprecedented incursion into Russian territory extended into its second week, AFP reported.
Russia meanwhile ramped up the pressure in east Ukraine, claiming to capture another village just a few kilometers from the Ukrainian-held logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced the strike via Telegram, sharing aerial footage of the explosion at a bridge near Zvannoye. The timing of the attack remains unclear, though Russian military bloggers have circulated images of the bridge’s destruction from Saturday.
Oleshchuk emphasized the strategic importance of the operation, stating, “The Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision air strikes.”
This latest strike follows an earlier announcement by Kyiv that a separate bridge in Glushkovo had also been destroyed. Both bridges span the Seym River in Kursk, significantly impairing Russian forces’ ability to maneuver in the region, according to Russian sources.
Ukraine sent troops and armoured vehicles across the border on August 6, in its biggest attack on Russian territory since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its military operations in eastern Ukraine. Moscow claimed to have captured Svyrydonivka, a village located approximately 15 kilometers from Pokrovsk. The capture of Svyrydonivka brings Russian forces closer to Pokrovsk, a key road junction critical for Ukrainian supply lines.
Pokrovsk has been a focal point of Russian efforts, with troops steadily advancing and capturing surrounding villages. Sergiy Dobryak, head of Pokrovsk’s military administration, urged remaining residents to evacuate as Russian forces approached the city.
In Kyiv, air raid sirens rang out before dawn on Sunday as Ukrainian forces intercepted a Russian missile attack. This incident marks the third ballistic missile attack on the capital in August, with Ukrainian authorities speculating that North Korean KN-23 missiles were involved. No damage or casualties have been reported from the attack.
Further south, Ukrainian drones targeted an oil storage facility in Russia’s Rostov region early Sunday, igniting a large fire in the town of Proletarsk. Videos showed dense smoke and flames at the site, which the local governor attributed to falling debris from the drone attack. Although no injuries were reported, firefighting efforts were briefly halted due to a subsequent drone strike.
Ukrainian intelligence sources have stated that the Proletarsk facility is part of Russia’s military-industrial complex. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised these strikes as a “just” response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities in Donetsk reported four civilian deaths and several injuries from Russian air strikes. In Kherson, a drone attack on a vehicle resulted in five injuries.
