Ukraine Destroys 3rd Kursk Bridge, Driving Russians Into Pocket

The Ukrainians have now destroyed three bridges in Kursk oblast, which appears to have trapped a battalion of Russian paratroopers. The Russians are attempting to build pontoon bridges but those are also relatively easy targets.

If successful, the Ukrainians may be able to create a pocket from which the Russians cannot escape, so they will have to fight and die - or surrender. JL

New Voice of Ukraine reports:

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are now driving Russians into a cauldron in the Kursk offensive. These precision strikes are continuing to erode the enemy's logistical capabilities, which is significantly affecting the battlefield. 400 square kilometers of territory are located south of the Seym River to the Ukrainian border. Russian airborne troops, up to 700-800 personnel, are stationed in Tiotikino.  If all the bridges are destroyed, the Russians cannot escape, it will be a pocket situation.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are driving Russians into a cauldron during the Kursk offensive, military observer Vasyl Pekhnio told Radio NV on Aug. 18.

"In fact, there is a very interesting story about the bridges," Pekhnio said. "The first information came out about Glushkovo and the bridge over the Seym River. It was already laid down to rest on Friday, the aviation put it down." Ukrainian aircraft destroyed another bridge in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram on Aug. 18. 

"Kursk direction: another bridge down!" Oleshchuk shared on Telegram.

He highlighted that these precision strikes are continuing to erode the enemy's logistical capabilities, which is significantly affecting the battlefield. Oleshchuk also praised the pilots for their professionalism and effectiveness.

 

I didn't measure with a ruler, but somewhere up to 400 square kilometers of territory, maybe even more, which are located south of the Seym River to the Ukrainian border, with settlements such as Glushkovo, as the well-known border settlement of Tiotkino. What is it known for? It is known for the fact that the Russian Volunteer Corps has raided it at least three times. Accordingly, Russian airborne troops, up to 700-800 personnel, were stationed there in Tiotikino, and Russian Z-groups report this.

And everyone understands that the territory is surrounded by a river, and on the other side, it is pinned down by the state border. If all the bridges on it are destroyed, so that Russians cannot move across it and simply escape, it will be a pocket situation.

This is a pocket situation, in which up to 700-800 Russian paratroopers may find themselves. Perhaps they have already started to leave. To be fair, the Russians started building pontoon crossings on Friday. But I have great hope.

Read also:

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I see that Ukrainian aviation is claiming to be working successfully directly at the bridges. I don't know what kind of aircraft it is. It is doubtful that it is an F-16, because we don't have such heavy bombs for the F-16, and we are only negotiating about them now. But it is a fact that we can reach them and destroy them.

If the Russians start using the pontoon crossings, it is not a given that they will be left alive. Either it could be the largest, record surrender, or it could be some element of withdrawal, but not a very organized one, because we can already say that two of the three bridges are out of commission.

It could be a really outstanding operation, one of the best we can do in Kursk Oblast."