Another key bridge destroyed in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine claims
Ukrainian forces operating in Russia's Kursk Oblast have destroyed a second key bridge, Commander of Ukrainian Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk said on Aug. 18.
In a post on Telegram, Oleshchuk published a video showing what he described as a "precise" air strike on the structure.
"Minus one more bridge!" he added.
Commander of Ukrainian Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk shared footage of the destruction of another bridge over river Seim in the Kursk region. This has a significant impact on enemy logistics in the bridgehead. pic.twitter.com/LPJjUfgEuN
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 18, 2024
Though he did not state exactly where the bridge is located, the Russian Telegram channel Mash said it was a bridge over the Seim River near the village of Zvannoye.
It also claimed U.S.-supplied HIMARS missiles were used in the attack.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
If confirmed, it would be the second key bridge destroyed by Ukrainian forces in recent days and will further hinder Russia's ability to resupply troops hoping to fend off Ukraine's incursion.
Another over the Seim River in the Glushkovsky District in Russia's Kursk Oblast, was hit on Aug. 16, Alexey Smirnov, the region's acting governor, claimed.
According to Mash, there is now only one remaining usable bridge in the area.
The unprecedented operation being conducted by Ukraine hit its 10-day mark on Aug. 15, with Kyiv claiming to have seized 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory and 82 settlements, including the town of Sudzha.
Kyiv said that rather than capturing Russian territory, the incursion aims to protect Ukrainian lives by preventing cross-border attacks and diverting Russian reinforcements.
Despite mounting reports that Russia is moving at least some forces to the sector, Kyiv's troops in the east of Ukraine say the situation there remains dire as Moscow continues its advance near Pokrovsk and Toretsk.
Martin Fornusek
