On Friday, Ukrainian forces destroyed a key bridge in Russia’s southwestern Kursk region, cutting off links between Russian-controlled areas and those where Kyiv was gradually advancing, pro-Kremlin media and military bloggers reported.
The bridge, which crosses the Seym River near the town of Glushkovo, was partially damaged in an attack earlier in the day that killed two volunteers from the All-Russian Popular Front, pro-war bloggers reported.
Later on Friday, the bridge collapsed after being hit by a US-supplied HIMARS missile, Kremlin-affiliated news channel Mash Telegram reported, publishing images of the destroyed structure.
The acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, later confirmed the bridge collapse and added that he was “in contact with the local authorities.” He did not provide any further details.
Independent investigative news portal IStories reported that the Russian military used the bridge to supply weapons and equipment to its troops in the Glushkovsky district, an area under an evacuation order. The bridge was located about 11 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border.
Military blogger Roman Alekhine, an adviser to Smirnov, suggested that the destruction of the bridge by Ukrainian troops was part of a broader strategy to gain control of Glushkovsky District. The district, which lies near an area believed to be under Ukrainian control, is largely separated from the rest of Kursk Region by the Sejm River.
