Ukrainian forces destroyed bridge over Seim River in Kursk Oblast, Russian official claims.

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Ukrainian forces destroyed a bridge over the Seim River in Glushkovo, a village in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Roman Alyokhin, an advisor to Kursk Oblast's acting governor and a Russian pro-war blogger, claimed on Aug.

16. The unprecedented operation hit its 10-day mark on Aug.

15, with Kyiv claiming to have seized 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory and 82 settlements, including the town of Sudzha. Photos purporting to show the destroyed bridge were published by the Russian Telegram channel Mash, which claimed the bridge had been struck multiple times.

The channel also claimed that about 30 settlements near Glushkovo, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Kursk, have been "cut off" due to the attack. The Insider reported that the Glushkovsky district has three bridges across the Seim River, with the other two located near the settlements of Zvannoe and Karyzh. Alyokhin also claimed that Ukrainian forces are targeting the bridge in Zvannoe, about 7 kilometers (4 miles) from Glushkovo, in an attempt to seize part of Kursk Oblast along the river.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims. Kyiv said that rather than capturing Russian territory, the incursion aims to protect Ukrainian lives by preventing cross-border attacks and diverting Russian reinforcements. Despite mounting reports that Russia is moving at least some forces to the sector, Kyiv's troops in the east of Ukraine say the situation there remains dire as Moscow continues its advance near Pokrovsk and Toretsk.

General Mick Ryan on Ukraine's strategic calculus in Kursk Oblast

Editor's note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for clarity.

As it entered its second week, Ukraine's cross-border offensive into Russia's Kursk Oblast is showing no signs of slowing down.

Although the element of surprise that overwhelmed the thin Russian defending force in the firs...