Moscow has confirmed that Ukraine struck and damaged a third bridge in Kursk region, as Kyiv forces attempt to expand its incursion within Russian territory.
A video statement from a representative of Russia's Investigative Committee was posted on Russian state TV anchor Vladimir Solovyov's Telegram channel confirming the attack on the third bridge, which is also located along River Seym in the Kursk region.
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Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment on the Russian claim.
Earlier on Sunday, Ukraine said that it has destroyed a second bridge across River Seym, which winds through Russia's Kursk region.
The attacks on bridges in the region in a matter of days come as Ukraine presses a cross-border offensive that began on August 6.
On Friday, it said it had struck a bridge in the Russian town of Glushkovo.
"Minus one more bridge," Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on Telegram on Sunday, publishing an aerial video of a blast tearing through the bridge near the Russian town of Zvannoye.
He said the attacks were designed to disrupt Russian supply lines.
"The Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision air strikes," Oleshchuk said, without giving a date for the attack.
Hours after the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the military's incursion and stated its aims for the first time.
"Our guys are doing a great job in all areas," he said in his evening address on Sunday.
"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 -– our operation in the Kursk region."
Pro-Kremlin military bloggers acknowledged the destruction of the first bridge near Glushkovo, which is about 12km (7.5 miles) north of the Ukrainian border, saying it would disrupt supply lines.
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Zvannoe is located a further 8km (5 miles) to the northwest.
According to Russia's Mash news site, the attacks left only one bridge in the area intact, potentially complicating further Moscow's attempts to replenish its forces and evacuate civilians.
Until now, Kyiv has said little about the goals of the surprise incursion, which began with tanks and other armoured vehicles, the largest attack on Russia since World War II.
Ukraine's military chief, Oleksandr Syrskii, claimed last week that his forces had advanced across 1,000sq km (390sq miles) of Kursk, although it was not possible to independently verify the extent of its control.
Russia pushes ahead in Ukraine's jap Donetsk region.
On Sunday, Moscow claimed to have taken the village of Svyrydonivka, approximately 15km ( 9 miles) from Pokrovsk, that's a key logistics hub for Ukrainian troops and cities throughout the jap front.
Zelenskyy has entreated Kyiv's allies to raise the ultimate regulations on the usage of Western guns on goals deeper inner Russia, along with in Kursk, pronouncing his troops should deprive Moscow "of any capacity to improve and motive destruction" if granted enough long- variety capabilities.
Ukraine says bases inner Russia were used to release long- variety assaults on Ukraine's towns and strength infrastructure, inflicting full-size harm and casualties.
On Sunday, Moscow focused the capital Kyiv with ballistic missiles for a 3rd time this month, in keeping with the pinnacle of the municipal army administration, Serhiy Popko.
Zelenskyy stated Russia had released extra than forty missiles, 750 guided aerial bombs and two hundred assault drones in opposition to Ukrainian villages and towns withinside the beyond week alone.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/19/ukraine-hits-second-key-bridge-as-continues-incursion-into-russias-kursk
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