Ukrainian forces strike critical bridge in Kursk, cut off villages
17 August 2024 10:27
Ukrainian forces have destroyed a bridge over the Sejm River in the Russian Glushkovo region (Kursk oblast). Russian media reports claim that Ukraine allegedly fired two HIMARS rockets, and the bridge was destroyed as a result of the second strike.
The Russian Telegram channel Mash was the first to report on the Ukrainian army's successful strike, followed by confirmation from Roman Alochin, the advisor to the acting governor of Kursk oblast.
"The opponent has begun to implement a plan to seize the territories of the Glushkovo region across the Sejm River," Alochin said. As a result of the bridge's destruction, part of the Glushkovo region, about 30 settlements, is now effectively cut off from the Kursk oblast.
Russian soldiers lack drinking water
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for over 900 days. On Tuesday, the British Ministry of Defence reported that some Russian military units in Ukraine are likely struggling with a shortage of potable water, as the destruction resulting from Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure almost certainly limits the water supply.
The latest intelligence update noted that this problem is exacerbated by the ongoing summer period in the region, with temperatures above average for this time of year. It cited information provided on 23 July by a pro-war Russian blogger, according to whom water rations for Russian pilots have been reduced to just under one litre per day, constituting one-fourth of the minimum recommended water intake for people working in high temperatures.
As a result, Russian pilots are reportedly asking the local population for water. This blogger appealed to Russian water companies to provide additional supplies for the airmen in Rostov-on-Don, Voronezh, and Crimea.