Ukraine strikes third bridge in cross-border Kursk attack

Russia has confirmed that Ukrainian forces have destroyed a third bridge in the Kursk border region in as many days, severing vital supply lines to Moscow’s forces defending the area against Kyiv’s surprise cross-border assault.

- TOM WATLING

The bridge, located in the village of Karyzh on the River Seym, which runs parallel to the Ukrainian border, is said to have been damaged during an attack late on Sunday night.

Russian state media’s top propagandist, Vladimir Solovyov, published a video statement to his channel on the Telegram messenger app, from a representative of Russia’s Investigative Committee, confirming the bridge had been damaged yesterday morning.

It is highly unusual for Kremlin-approved state media reports to disclose information highlighting Russian military failures, and Moscow strictly controls what is and is not published. As with most Russian claims about strikes by Ukraine, the statement claimed the attack hit “residential buildings and civilian infrastructure” without providing any evidence whatsoever.

“On August 18, as a result of targeted shelling using rocket and artillery weapons at residential buildings and civilian infrastructure in the village of Karyzh in the Glushkovsky District of the Kursk Region, the third bridge across the Seim River was damaged,” the spokesperson said, using the Russian spelling for the waterway.

Ukraine’s air forces declined to comment on the report when approached.

Ukraine’s air force commander Mykkole Oleschuk did, however, say on Sunday that they had destroyed a second strategic bridge over the Seym, limiting the supply capacity of a Russian group opposing the Ukrainian advance.