Ukrainian forces have used US-made Himars rocket systems to destroy bridges and engineering equipment in Russia’s Kursk region, specifically targeting the logistics of their largest incursion into Russian territory, the Ukrainian military said on Wednesday (21).
Since Kiev launched a major attack on western Russia on August 6, Ukraine has damaged or destroyed at least three bridges over the Seym River, Russian authorities say. The advance appears to be about 28 to 35 kilometers (17 to 22 miles).
“How do Russian pontoon bridges ‘disappear’ in the Kursk region? The operators (…) destroy them with precision,” Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said on the Telegram messaging service.
The statement also mentioned that US-made Himars rocket systems were used. It was the first official statement from Kiev that Western weapons were part of the unprecedented offensive.
Washington has not yet commented directly on the use of US-made weapons in the Kursk region, but said its policies remained the same and that Ukraine was defending itself against Russian attacks.
While the allies have prevented Ukraine from carrying out long-range strikes with Western weapons inside Russia, they have allowed Kiev to use them to hit the country’s border areas with the new Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region.
The Kremlin called the use of American weapons on its territory an escalation.
A video released by special forces showed the attacks on several bridge crossing areas. At least one of the attacks appears to have been carried out with cluster bombs.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the statement and video.
The video also shows drone strikes on military trucks and other locations described as a munitions depot and an electronic warfare complex.
According to Reuters, it was possible to verify that at least one floating bridge appears to have been destroyed.
The attack likely took place between August 14 and 17, between the Russian villages of Zvannoe and Glushkovo, after two bridges were previously destroyed or damaged.
According to satellite images, the crossing, approximately 14 kilometers from the border, disappeared on August 19. The presence of smoke was also visible in images of the area from that day.
Although Kiev has reported a string of battlefield victories since unexpectedly crossing into Russia’s Kursk region on August 6, Russia has advanced the front line in eastern Ukraine.
In recent days, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had taken control of several villages in the area, including Zhelanne and Svyrydonivka, as well as the town of Niu York, about 46 km from Pokrovsk.
Kiev’s military has not responded directly to these allegations, while reporting heavy fighting in the disputed regions.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said the advance in the Kursk region had yielded greater gains than those captured by Russia since the beginning of the year.
Here’s what we know about Ukraine’s incursion into Russian territory
This content was originally published in Ukraine destroys strategic bridges in Russia’s Kursk region on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
