Ukrainian forces have targeted key Russian transportation routes in the Kursk region, aiming to hinder Moscow’s ability to resupply troops during the ongoing conflict.
Reports emerged on Monday, indicating that Ukraine had struck a third, potentially the final, functional bridge in Russia’s Kursk region, entering its second week.
According to the Kyiv Independent, citing an official from the Russian Investigative Committee, a bridge near the Karyzh village over the Seim River was damaged by Ukrainian forces.
Digital could not verify the extent of the bridge damage.
Earlier reports over the weekend mentioned damage or incapacitation of two other bridges in Zvannoye, east of Karyzh, and Glushkovo, located along the Seym River—all within the Kursk region.
Ukrainian defense officials haven’t commented on the bridge strikes, though reports suggest the damage has hampered Russia’s ability to transport heavy machinery across the river as it attempts to repel Ukrainian forces.
The impact of the bridge strikes on Russian troop redeployment to the Kursk region remains unclear as Ukrainian forces continue their advance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been tight-lipped about the overall objective of the Kursk operation, but some speculate it aims to divide Russia’s war efforts and force Moscow to withdraw troops from the Ukrainian front lines.
Reporting by the revealed that approximately 5,000 Russian troops were reportedly called in from Ukraine’s Donetsk region to Kursk between August 6th and 13th.
Despite President Vladimir Putin’s resolve to quell the Ukrainian incursion, which Zelenskyy described as a move to make Moscow “feel” the consequences of its war, Ukrainian troops appear to be making progress in the Russian region.
“Russian redeployments have allowed Russian forces to slow Ukraine’s rapid gains in Kursk Oblast and start containing the extent of the Ukrainian incursion, but containment is only the first and likely least resource-intensive phase of the Russian response in Kursk Oblast,” stated the Institute for the Study of War in a Sunday assessment.
“Although it is too early to assess when Russian forces will stop Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast completely and seize the battlefield initiative to launch such an effort,” the assessment continued. “This likely future Russian counteroffensive effort will very likely require Russia to commit even more manpower, equipment, and material to Kursk Oblast.”
The Wall Street Journal, citing a source familiar with Kyiv’s operation in Kursk, reported that approximately 6,000 Ukrainian troops are currently present in the Russian region. However, it is believed that Moscow would require around 20,000 soldiers to reclaim its territory.
In a Sunday address to the nation, Zelenskyy stated, “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 – our operation in the Kursk region,” he added.
Despite the ongoing war effort in Kursk, Ukraine remains prepared for Russian advances in its Donetsk region, particularly around Pokrovsk, where Russian forces continue to push westward.
The city is expected to be a focal point of intense battles similar to those witnessed in Eastern , according to comments made by Donetsk administration official .
Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin reportedly informed the Kyiv Independent that a mandatory evacuation for the remaining 5,000 children in the city is likely to be ordered later this week.
In July, Zelenskyy warned that Russia was “throwing everything they have” into the region after failing to capture Kharkiv.
Images emerged on Monday allegedly depicting multiple explosions along Russia’s Trans-Siberian railway line—used to transport arms for Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, reported East2West.
Though Digital could not verify the cause of the explosions, pro-Ukrainian forces have conducted similar sabotage operations on Russian targets since the war’s commencement.
Images from the weekend showed Ukrainian forces striking an oil depot in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, bordering Donetsk—a move indicative of Ukraine’s efforts to target key Russian infrastructure that fuels its cross-border war effort.
Some suggest that Zelenskyy, who last week stated that “Russia must be forced into peace if Putin wants to continue waging war,” may be using his incursion into Russia as a bargaining chip to end Moscow’s deadly conflict.
However, a Putin aide on Monday asserted that Moscow is not willing to “at this stage” following the incursion.