Ukraine destroys the second bridge in the Kursk region

2024-08-18 12:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ukraine destroys the second bridge in the Kursk region

In a Ukrainian military vehicle, he leaves for the Russian region of Kursk. August 14, 2024. Photo, AFP

The commander of Ukraine's Air Force said the second bridge in Russia's Kursk region has been destroyed, as Kiev seeks to weaken Russia's combat operations in the area.

"Minus one more bridge," Air Force Commander Mykola Oleschuk wrote on Telegram.

"The Air Force continues to deprive the enemy of logistics capabilities through precision airstrikes, which significantly affect offensive" operations, he said on August 18.

Earlier, Russian war bloggers published pictures of a damaged bridge over the Sejm River, near the village of Zvane, in Kursk.

Moscow has not yet commented on this attack.

On August 16, Russia's Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of using US-made long-range missiles to destroy a key bridge in the Glushkov district of the Kursk region. During the attack, according to Russia, "volunteers" who are helping to evacuate civilians were killed.

Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into the Kursk region on August 6, changing the dynamics of the more than two-and-a-half-year-old war. As a result of the Ukrainian offensive, 120,000 people have left their homes.

According to Russian security officials, the destruction of the bridge on August 16 cut off part of Glushkov district, making it more difficult for civilians to evacuate the region.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Oleksiy Makeyev, called on Berlin not to stop aid to Kiev, amid reports that Germany is planning to cut aid to Ukraine next year.

In Russia, shrapnel from a downed drone in the southwestern Russian region of Rostov caused a fire at a diesel storage facility in the early hours of August 18, regional governor Vasily Golubev wrote on Telegram.

He said that the firefighting units were engaged in extinguishing the fire in Proletarsk district, adding that there were no casualties.

The Russian defense ministry said air defenses shot down five Ukrainian drones overnight over Belgorod, Kursk and Rostov. Kiev rarely comments on reports of drone strikes.

Meanwhile, the head of Kyiv's military administration, Serhiy Popko, said on August 18 that Russia launched the third ballistic missile against the Ukrainian capital this month. He added that Russian forces have also carried out cruise missile attacks against Kiev.

The Ukrainian Air Force said that in total they shot down eight drones and five missiles over the regions of Kyiv, Sumy and Poltava./ VOA