A drone view shows what the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade ‘Oleksy Dovbusha’ says are multiple launch rocket system strikes on Russian troops, in Novozhelanne, Donetsk Region, Ukraine, in this still image from handout video obtained on August 21, 2024. Reuters TV/68TH SEPARATE JAEGER BRIGADE ‘OLEKSY DOVBUSHA’/Handout via REUTERS
Ukraine Targets Russian Pontoon Bridges Amid Ongoing Conflict in Kursk Region
Ukrainian Offensive in Kursk
On Wednesday, Ukraine announced that it was targeting Russian pontoon bridges in the Kursk region, utilizing U.S.-manufactured weapons as part of its defense strategy. This action comes in the wake of Ukraine’s unexpected incursion into the Russian region on August 6, which has been marked by a series of battlefield successes. However, Moscow asserts that it has successfully halted Kyiv’s advance in Kursk while simultaneously gaining ground in eastern Ukraine.
Destruction of Pontoon Bridges
Ukrainian special forces released a video showing strikes on several pontoon bridges in the Kursk region. According to Russian reports, Ukraine has destroyed at least three bridges over the Seym River in an effort to secure the territory it has captured. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces commented on the effectiveness of these strikes, stating on Telegram, “Where do Russian pontoon bridges ‘disappear’ in the Kursk region? Operators … accurately destroy them.”
Tactical and Strategic Implications
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry highlighted the significance of its territorial gains in Kursk, noting that they exceed those made by Russia in Ukraine this year. This operation appears to be aimed at forcing Moscow to divert its troops from other fronts, though Russia has maintained its focus on advancing in eastern Ukraine.
Despite Ukraine’s successes, Russian forces have reportedly taken control of the settlement of Zhelanne, located less than 20 kilometers east of the strategic transport hub Pokrovsk. Ukrainian military officials have not directly commented on Russia’s advances near Pokrovsk but have acknowledged heavy fighting in the vicinity.
Russian Response
Major General Apti Alaudinov, commander of Chechnya’s Akhmat special forces and deputy head of the Russian defense ministry’s military-political department, reported to Moscow that Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region have been halted and are being pushed back. He suggested that Ukrainian forces may regroup and attempt another offensive, though further details were not provided.
Russia has consistently claimed that Ukraine’s offensive has been effectively stopped. In contrast, Ukraine has continued to report gains, asserting that it has captured 92 settlements over an area of more than 1,250 square kilometers since the start of its incursion.
Impact on Ukrainian Morale
The incursion into the Kursk region has provided a morale boost for the Ukrainian military, which has struggled to make significant advances on its own soil since late 2022. However, Ukrainian officials, such as Roman Kostenko, secretary of the Ukrainian parliament’s national defense committee, have noted that Russia’s primary focus remains on capturing the Donetsk region. According to Kostenko, Russia has not redeployed significant forces from near Pokrovsk to reinforce its troops in Kursk.
Strikes on Russian Logistics
Ukraine has reportedly used U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket systems in its operations to disrupt Russian logistics in the Kursk region. This marks Kyiv’s first official acknowledgment of the use of this weapon system during the incursion. Reuters has verified at least one destroyed pontoon crossing, believed to have been set up between August 14 and August 17 near the Russian settlements of Zvannoe and Glushkovo, with satellite imagery showing the crossing destroyed by August 19.
The United States has not commented directly on the use of its weapons in the Kursk region but has reiterated that Ukraine is defending itself from Russia’s invasion. While Western allies have prohibited Ukraine from conducting long-range strikes within Russian territory, they have permitted the use of Western weapons in border areas following Russia’s renewed offensive in the Kharkiv region earlier this year.
Allegations of Foreign Involvement
Russian officials, including Major General Alaudinov and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), have alleged that the Ukrainian operation in Kursk was planned with the involvement of the United States, Britain, and Poland. The U.S. government, however, has denied any prior knowledge of the Ukrainian operation.
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