Ukraine Destroys 3rd Bridge In Russia’s Kursk, Zelensky Stresses He’ll Keep Territory

Following the Friday destruction of the strategic bridge in the Russian town Glushkovo, which lies in Kursk oblast, and the taking out of another bridge across the River Seym on Saturday, Ukraine has attacked and damaged a third bridge in the same region, Moscow has confirmed.

Russia’s Investigative Committee on Monday announced that yet another bridge located along the River Seym, which winds through the Kursk region, was destroyed in a Ukrainian attack.

Armed Forces of Ukraine via AP

Ukraine’s military has said that the targeted attacks are intended to disrupt Russian supply lines and make Russian troop and armory movement much more difficult.

“Minus one more bridge,” Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on Telegram while publishing footage of the attack.

“The Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision air strikes,” Oleshchuk said further.

In follow-up to this Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined his stated aims in detail:

“It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall: to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions. This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory,” he said in his evening address.

He also explained how the hundreds of Russian troops captured in Kursk since the brazen cross-border operation began on Aug.6 will be used to bolster the countries “exchange fund” – a reference to the ability to get Ukrainians back through prisoner swaps.

Satellite view of the second bridge which Ukraine took out Saturday, via Planet Labs/Reuters

RT has noted that “Russian President Vladimir Putin stated last month that the number of POWs held by both sides is five to one in Russia’s favor,” but now “Ukraine claims to have taken dozens of Russian border guards prisoner during the first phase of its Kursk offensive.”

Ukrainian officials have of late talked about prioritizing the return of those “who defended Azovstal” in future prisoner exchanges, many of which were made of the infamous Azov Battalion, which is well-known to have neo-Nazis in its ranks.

There are widespread reports that Ukraine has utilized US-supplied munitions, including the HIMARS system (last Friday) to strike some of these bridges. The below video is from the third bridge to be blown up.

JDAM strike on a Bridge near Zvanne, Kursk.

Single hit.

I remember seeing multiple attempts on the Bridges near Kherson when the AFU was preparing to retake the city.

Ukraine’s proficiency with precision munitions has become very accomplished over the last year. pic.twitter.com/2A9gNRhKWV

— 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐯™ (@Shavghan) August 18, 2024

Though impossible to confirm, Ukraine is now claiming to have seized 440 square miles of Russian territory. It also says the Kursk operation has been able to divert Moscow’s attention from the front lines in Donbass, though the degree to which infantry troops have had to be pulled and relocated to Russia’s southern oblasts for defense remains uncertain.