Ukraine destroys key Russian bridge as Kyiv's incursion into Kursk region continues
17 August 2024, 07:56 | Updated: 17 August 2024, 08:58
Ukraine’s air force has destroyed a key Russian bridge over the river Seym as president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv is “strengthening” its position in the Kursk region.
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A video of the moment when a bridge was hit by "high precision strikes" was shared by Ukrainian air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk on Telegram.
This comes as Ukraine continues its surprise attack on Russia, in which they say troops have advanced about 22 miles past the border.
The destroyed bridge linked areas of Kursk that are still controlled by Russia and areas where Ukraine has made advances over the last ten days.
Mr Oleshchuk added that Ukrainian pilots had hit "enemy strongholds", equipment, logistic centres, and supply routes in its "combat operations" in the region.
It came after the Ukrainian president insisted that the frontline is still the country's "top priority," despite Kyiv's forces’ incursion into the Kursk region.
Ukraine has taken around 1,000 square kilometres of the Russian territory in its surprise counter-attack, which was launched on 6 August and has resulted in more than 120,000 people fleeing to safety.
One theory about why they launched the attack was so that they would have a stronger negotiating hand in the case of any ceasefire talks.
Ukraine says its incursion into Russia is intended to protect Ukrainian lives by preventing cross-border attacks and diverting Russian reinforcements.
Russian news agency TASS first reported that the bridge in the Kursk region was destroyed by Ukraine, which they said had made civilian evacuations in the local area harder.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has since heralded the achievements of his forces in the Russian Kursk area as he encouraged his troops to inflict "maximum damage on all Russian positions" as they attempt to destroy army logistics.
He said: "It is about destroying the logistics of the Russian army and draining their reserves."We must inflict maximum damage on all Russian positions, and we are doing that.
"I thank each of our warriors for their precision, I thank them for strength and for resilience."
Meanwhile, Russia's foreign ministry has claimed Ukraine used Western rockets to destroy the bridge, which goes over the Seym river.
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was the first time the region had been hit by "Western-made rocket launchers" as she said the launcher in question was "probably American HIMARS".
Read more: Ukraine has 'clear right' to use British weapons in Russia, UK government says
As a result of its attack, Kyiv now holds at least 175 square miles of Russian territory - less than 0.003% of the country.
Mr Zelenskyy meanwhile, was briefed by armed forces commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi that Kyiv's forces were advancing 1km to 3km into the Kursk region.
He also reported fighting in the area of Malaya Loknya, around 11.5km from the Ukrainian border.
Mr Zelenskyy said on social media however that "the frontline remains our top priority, particularly the Pokrovsk and Toretsk directions" in the Donetsk region.
He said on Thursday those towns were "facing the most intense Russian assaults," a day before Pokrovsk urged civilians to speed up their evacuation.
Local officials said on Telegram that Russian forces were "advancing at a fast pace". They added: "With every passing day there is less and less time to collect personal belongings and leave for safer regions."
This comes after Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus and a key ally of Vladimir Putin, urged Russia and Ukraine to end the war.
Speaking in an interview on Russian state TV, Lukashenko said that Moscow and Kyiv should come to an agreement about the war ending in order that it didn't spill over into Belarus.
The Belarus president said that Ukraine might also intend to invade Belarus, without providing evidence for his claim.
He claimed that the only people who still want the war are "high-ranking people of American origin" suggesting the West only wanted Ukraine to keep fighting because of a desire for it and Russia to "destroy each other".
