THIS is the moment Ukraine destroyed a key bridge in Kursk being used by Russian forces in a humiliating blow to the enemy.
Dramatic footage showed Kyiv’s missile striking the bridge and sparking an enormous cloud of flames and smoke before it collapsed in half.
The moment Ukraine’s missile struck the bridge in Kursk
It sparked an enormous explosion, splitting the bridge in half
Pictures from the scene showed the remnants of the bridge
A birds eye view of the pass shows scorch marks along its surface before it was blitzed
Pictures from the scene showed the obliterated stone pass with a huge chunk sticking out of the water.
An earlier less successful strike on the bridge had left burnt out holes and scorch marks across it.
It was ultimately destroyed by a US-supplied HIMARS missile, according to a Kremlin Telegram channel.
Vladimir Putin’s crony governor in Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, later admitted to the blow for Russian forces.
The bridge, which crosses the Seym River, links areas of the region already under Kyiv’s control to parts still run by Russia.
Russian military were using it to transport weaponry and equipment to forces in Glushkovsky.
The bridge sits some 6.8 miles north of Ukraine’s border.
A major evacuation effort is underway in Glushkovsky, which is largely separated from the rest of Kursk by the river.
Some reports claim other bridges have also been destroyed.
A frantic post from a pro-war Russian Telegram channel said: “Part of the Glushkovsky district is now cut off .
“This is Tyotkino, Popovo-Lezhachi, Volfino and about 27 more settlements.
“The civilian population can now only be evacuated by water.
“The enemy is also hitting the bridge in the village of Zvannoye in the Glushkovsky district.”
Russia claimed the damage was caused by a US-supplied HIMARS missile
Enormous holes were burnt out in the bridge
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.
