THIS is the dramatic moment Ukrainian special forces blew Vladimir Putin’s bridges to pieces using US-made missiles in a major blow to the ageing despot.
Incredible footage shows a series of attacks with Himars rockets in Russia‘s border region as Kyiv marches on with its brave advance into Kursk.
Cover ImagesUkraine has blown Russian bridges to pieces[/caption]
Cover ImagesUkraine used US-made Himars rockets in the attacks[/caption]
According to Kyiv, important Russian equipment was destroyed along with Vlad’s bridges.
Video also showed Ukrainian Defence Forces demolishing Russian field munitions, fuel depots, a radio-electronic warfare complex, and a 152-mm D-20 gun, a Ukrainian military officer told the Kyiv Post.
Washington has not responded to the strike, but Kyiv admitted on Wednesday for the first time that it had used US-made weapons in its Kursk incursion.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said: “Where are the Russian pontoons disappearing [to] in the Kursk Region?
“Special Operations Forces operators, together with units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, are effectively destroying them.”
Another military officer said the strikes were carried out with the intention of cutting off Russian supply routes, which he explained were being used to plan attacks against Ukraine.
“It’s clear that as the enemy retreats, they haven’t ensured the proper function of all military systems, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces are effectively utilising resources to cut off the Russians’ logistical routes,” he said.
The officer also stated that, in light of Ukraine’s successes in Kursk, another reason for demolishing Russia‘s pontoon bridges was to demoralise Moscow‘s forces.
After Ukraine demolished three important bridges across the River Seym last weekend close to the settlements of Glushkovo, Zvan, and Karyzh, Russia hurried to build the pontoons.
ReutersUkrainian troops near Sumy preparing to cross the border[/caption]
ReutersA satellite image shows the collapsed Glushkovo Bridge[/caption]
AFPUkrainian forces drive a battle tank into Sumy, Kursk, last week[/caption]
Ukrainian troops pose for a photo in Sudzha, Russia, after capturing the strategic city
With the last bridge near the town of Karyzh destroyed on Sunday, Moscow has limited alternatives for transporting supplies across the sea.
It was the third bridge in four days in what could be a daring bid to cut off enemy troops and seize another massive area of Russian land.
According to analysts, Kyiv may be able to solidify its hold on the land it has taken since starting a daring invasion of the Russian border region almost two weeks ago if the bridges are destroyed.
Professor Michael Clarke told The Sun that Ukraine destroying the bridges left Russian troops cut off and in “mortal danger”.
He said it is now tougher for Russia to reinforce the area south of the Seym and attack the Ukrainian pocket from the west.
Ukraine invaded Russia on August 6 and has since captured 1,000sqkm of territory including dozens of towns.
Troops have reached 35km (21 miles) inside Russia after the surprise breakthrough and continue to push forward.
The Ukraine war has raged on for two and a half years, pictured: an inferno blazes in Kyiv after a Russian attack
AFPHouses reduced to rubble in Loknya, Sumy, near the border with Russia after Ukraine’s invasion[/caption]
ReutersA building blitzed in Sudzha amid Ukraine’s ongoing assault[/caption]
Hundreds of thousands of Russian civilians have fled their homes as Ukraine’s troops advanced.
Putin has been humiliated by the invasion, which captured the same amount of land in eight days as Russia had in eight months.
Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun the Russian despot needs to act “very quickly” to maintain his iron-grip on power.
The senior general of Kyiv announced this week that more than 90 settlements had been taken by Ukrainian forces as they advanced into the Kursk border region.
As part of a larger counteroffensive, Kyiv has destroyed important bridges within Russia and launched several drone strikes against significant Russian targets.
On Wednesday, Moscow was hit with what its mayor described as “one of the largest” drone strikes against Russia since the start of the brutal war against Ukraine in February 2022.
In the meantime, a Ukrainian drone strike unfolded overnight on Thursday, striking a military installation in southern Russia.
NewsflashUkrainian special forces have released footage of them fighting inside Russia[/caption]
Inside Ukraine’s invasion of Russia
Why has the Ukrainian invasion of Russia been so successful?
A DARING Ukrainian military push into Russia’s Kursk region has become the largest attack on the country since World War Two.
Kyiv’s forces have seized scores of villages, taken hundreds of prisoners and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians.
After more than a week of fighting, Russian troops are still struggling to drive out the invaders.
Why has Russian military been caught so unprepared?
A long undefended border
Russia’s regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod share a 720-mile border with Ukraine – including a 152-mile section in the Kursk region.
And it only had symbolic protection before Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.
It’s been reinforced since then with checkpoints on key roads and field fortifications in places – but not enough to repel a Ukrainian assault.
The most capable Russian units are fighting in eastern Ukraine, leaving the border vulnerable to attack.
Element of surprise
Ukrainian troops participating in the incursion were reportedly only told about their mission a day before it began.
The secrecy contrasted with last year’s counteroffensive – when Ukraine openly declared its goal of cutting the land corridor to annexed Crimea.
Ukraine ended up failing as troops trudged through Russian minefields and were pummelled by artillery and drones.
But in Kursk, Ukrainian troops didn’t face any of these obstacles.
Battle-hardened units easily overwhelmed Russian border guards and small infantry units made up of inexperienced conscripts.
The Ukrainians drove deep into the region in several directions – facing little resistance and sowing chaos and panic.
Russia’s slow response
The Russian military command initially relied on warplanes and choppers to try to stop the onslaught.
At least one Russian helicopter gunship was shot down and another was damaged.
Moscow began pulling in reinforcements, managing to slow Ukraine’s advances – but failed to completely block troops.
