Ukraine has destroyed a strategically vital bridge over the Seym River as its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region continues to deepen. Russian officials reported that the operation near Glushkovo has severed access to parts of the local district, potentially disrupting supply lines to Kremlin forces. The bridge had been a crucial supply route for Russian troops, and its destruction may hinder their operations.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian forces are solidifying their positions in Kursk, referring to the captured areas as potential bargaining chips for negotiating the return of Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow.
Now entering its second week, this marks Ukraine’s deepest incursion into Russian territory since Moscow’s large-scale invasion over two years ago. The unexpected cross-border operation has forced over 120,000 people to flee the area. Despite Ukraine’s claims of progress, Kyiv continues to assert that it has no intention of occupying Russian land.
A senior aide to President Zelensky emphasized this stance on Friday, stating, “Ukraine is not interested in occupying Russian territories.” Mykhailo Podolyak, the aide, highlighted that one of Ukraine’s main goals in this incursion is to push Moscow towards negotiations “on our terms.” He noted that the operation in the Kursk region showcases Ukraine’s ability to compel Russia into fair negotiations, adding on social media that Kyiv has demonstrated “effective means of coercion.”
Also Read: Ukraine Takes Charge of 1,000 Sq Km of Russian Territory
On Friday, the head of Ukraine’s military, Oleksandr Syrsky, reported further advances, with Ukrainian forces moving between one to three kilometers in some areas. Syrsky expressed optimism about capturing “many prisoners” from ongoing battles near the village of Mala Loknya, located about 13 kilometers from the border.
As Ukraine presses on, Russian authorities in the Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, have announced the evacuation of five villages starting Monday. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated on Telegram that residents and their belongings would be relocated from these border villages as of August 19.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to make gains in eastern Ukraine. Moscow announced on Friday that its troops had captured Serhiivka, the latest in a series of towns taken by Russian forces in recent weeks. These advances bring Russian troops closer to Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub on a major supply route for Ukrainian forces on the eastern front. Pokrovsk lies northwest of the Russian-held Donetsk region, where Ukrainian shelling on Friday injured several civilians. The city’s military administration urged residents to evacuate as Russian forces near the outskirts.
In a separate development, Russian-installed officials in the Moscow-controlled part of Donetsk accused Kyiv of a strike on a shopping center, wounding at least seven people. Denis Pushilin, the Russia-backed governor of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, reported ongoing shelling of the city since midday Friday. Reuters reported that three civilians were killed, and five others were injured over the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, in Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, Russian defense officials claimed to have intercepted missiles targeting a bridge built under President Vladimir Putin’s orders. Kyiv has launched several attacks on the Kerch Bridge since the onset of Moscow’s military campaign.
