kyiv claims destruction of second strategic bridge in Kursk region

Kiev said on Sunday it had destroyed a second strategic bridge gic in the Russian region of Kursk, where His troops have been leading an unprecedented offensive for 12 days, at a time when the Russian army says it is continuing its push into eastern Ukraine, in direction of the Pokrovsk logistics hub.

On August 6, the Ukrainian army attacked the Kursk border region, seizing, according to kyiv, 82 localities and 1,150 square kilometers of territory in an assault that surprised Moscow, moving for the first time in a massive and prolonged manner the clashes into Russian territory.

In recent days, the Ukrainian army has said it is anchoring its positions in this Russian region, while advancing gradually, “exactly as we planned,” according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Moscow, for its part, repeated on Sunday that it was “repelling” the Ukrainian assaults by sending reinforcements and inflicting heavy losses on its adversary.

Questions remain numerous about kyiv's intentions in the short term and medium term.

Ukrainian authorities have sworn that the aim of the offensive was not to “occupy” part of Russian territory but, according to them, to put pressure on the Russian army and thus force Moscow to enter into “fair” negotiations, while Russia still occupies nearly 20% of Ukraine.

The time has therefore come for the continuation of this unprecedented operation.

On Sunday, the commander of the air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, welcomed the destruction of a second important bridge for the Russian army, two days after a first similar claim.

“The air force continues to deprive the enemy of its logistical capabilities through precision air strikes,” he declared, in posting a video of the attack on Telegram.

The official did not specify when the strike took place, but it appears to have hit a bridge over the Seym River, about 15 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border.

Russian military bloggers, who have been following the fighting in real time, shared photos dated Saturday showing what appears to be the damaged bridge, estimating that the destruction would limit the possibilities for Russian forces to maneuver in the area.

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The hostilities have already forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate on both sides of the border and at least a dozen people have been killed, according to Russian authorities.

– Oil depot on fire –

Alongside its offensive, Ukraine is still trying to halt the the mechanics of supplying Moscow's forces, deeper into Russian soil, in retaliation for the daily attacks on its territory since February 2022.

Natalia, 47, stands among the debris of her house, heavily damaged following recent strikes in a village near the Russian border in the Sumy region of Ukraine, on August 16, 2024 © AFP – Genya SAVILOV

During the night from Saturday to Sunday, it struck an oil depot in the Rostov region, in southern Russia, with explosive drones.

According to the story made by the regional governor, Vassili Goloubev, “the air defenses repelled (the) drone attack”. “As a result of falling debris on the territory of industrial storage facilities (in the city of) Proletarsk, a fire broke out.”

Videos published on social networks showed thick black smoke and flames coming from the site.

This installation “stored oil and petroleum products” necessary “for the needs” of the Russian army, justified the Ukrainian forces, who confirmed the attack.

– Pokrovsk in the Russian sights –

While the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region is attracting much attention, the majority of the fighting continues to take place in Ukraine's Donbass, where Russian troops have the upper hand against outnumbered Ukrainian forces.

People drive in a car with furniture on the roof near a village near the Russian border in Sumy region, Ukraine, August 16, 2024 © AFP – Genya SAVILOV

On Sunday, Russia claimed the capture of a new town, Svyrydonivka, about fifteen kilometers from the city of Pokrovsk, a real logistical hub for the Ukrainian army.

This town, with 61,000 inhabitants before the Russian invasion, is located on an important route to the Ukrainian strongholds of Chassiv Yar and Kostiantynivka, which Moscow would like to seize.

This rapid progress since the capture of Ocheretyne in early May is a sign of unabated pressure on the Eastern Front, despite the unprecedented advance of Ukrainian forces into Russian territory.

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