August 20th 2024.
According to sources from the Kremlin, Ukrainian forces have been making significant gains in the Kursk region of Russia by destroying key bridges over the Seim River. This bold move by Kyiv has been ongoing for two weeks now and has boosted the morale of the Ukrainian population, who have been exhausted by the ongoing war.
By targeting these bridges, Ukraine hopes to cut off Putin's forces from the advancing Ukrainian troops and trap them between the borders of Russia and Ukraine. As a result, Russia's response to the incursion has slowed down significantly since its launch on August 6th. In the first few days, Kyiv successfully destroyed a bridge in the village of Glushkovo, followed by another in Zvannoye and a third in Karyzh, all located west of the Ukrainian troops inside Russian territory.
These bridges are crucial as they connect the Kursk region to the rest of Russia, and their destruction prevents Russian troops from accessing the captured areas. This means that the Kremlin's forces are now heavily reliant on makeshift pontoon bridges for their military equipment, according to analysts. The Russian military has confirmed that one bridge was completely destroyed and two others were damaged in the area, but the full extent of the damage is still unknown.
Since the incursion began, Ukraine has captured 480 square miles of land and 92 settlements, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Additionally, they have taken hundreds of Russian troops as prisoners of war, as Putin has refused to pull his soldiers away from the frontlines and has instead sent inexperienced conscripts to defend the area. Zelensky has stated that the operation aims to create a buffer zone that can prevent future attacks from across the border and that the captured Russian soldiers will be exchanged for captured Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian attack has also led to the evacuation of more than 122,000 people from the dangerous areas in the Kursk region, according to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. In another bold move, Ukrainian drones have targeted an oil depot in the town of Proletarsk, causing a massive fire that has been burning for three days. This depot was used to supply the needs of Russia's army, and the attack has been seen as a way to undermine the military and economic potential of the Russian Federation.
This incursion into Russian territory has exposed vulnerabilities in Russia's defenses, according to analysts and Ukrainian officials. Zelensky believes that this will help dispel Western fears of providing more robust military aid to Kyiv, as some allies have been hesitant to do so, fearing a potential escalation and nuclear confrontation with Russia. The president also stated that this move has shattered the notion of "red lines" with Russia, referring to a seized Russian town under Ukrainian control.
On the ground, Russian forces have attempted to use pontoon bridges to cross the river and reclaim their territory. However, satellite imagery has shown smoke rising from the location of these bridges, possibly indicating that they have been targeted by Ukrainian artillery strikes. Meanwhile, along the eastern Ukrainian frontline, Russian forces have been pushing towards the city of Pokrovsk, one of Ukraine's main defensive strongholds and a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region. This advance has forced Ukrainian troops to retreat and civilians to flee their homes, putting Ukraine's defensive abilities and supply routes at risk and bringing Russia closer to its goal of capturing the entire Donetsk region.
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