Russia Claims Ukraine Used Western Weapons to Destroy Bridge in Kursk

Russia alleges that Ukraine employed Western-supplied weapons to carry out a recent attack on a bridge in Kursk. The claim underscores the escalating tensions and the role of international arms in the conflict.

Accusations have been made by Russia against Ukraine for utilizing Western-made rockets, probably from the United States, to attack a crucial bridge over the Seym River located in Kursk region that resulted in fatalities of volunteers who were attempting to relocate innocent civilians.

On Friday, while advancing into western Russia’s territory, Ukrainian troops targeted the bridge located in Kursk’s Glushkovsky district.

Late on Friday, Maria Zakharova – a spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – claimed via Telegram that Western-made rocket launchers (suspected to be American HIMARS) had struck the Kursk region for the first time.

The bridge was destroyed entirely due to the attack, which resulted in the casualties of volunteers who were aiding in evacuating civilians.

The names of two volunteers who were reportedly “murdered” in the attack have been disclosed by Russia’s news agency, TASS.

The demolition of the bridge, according to Russian officials, will impede civilian evacuation from that region.

Just a few months after the US and some NATO members authorized Kyiv to use their weapons against targets in Russia, Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk occurred.

The Defense Editor of Al Jazeera, Alex Gatopoulos stated that the bridge bombing on Friday will pose a challenge for Russian military in protecting their territory from advancements made by Ukraine.

“There are not many places for the Russian units to go at the moment, as they find themselves trapped between a river and a hard place,” he explained.

If the Russians are unable to provide ample ammunition and fuel, their units will be compelled to withdraw across the river.

Since February 2022, the Ukrainian military has been fighting off a Russian invasion and recently initiated the Kursk offensive. This operation is being touted as the primary incursion by an external armed force into Russia since World War II.

The strategic natural gas hub in the Kursk region, Sudzha, was reported captured by Ukraine on Thursday. The town is Russian-controlled.

Since August 6, Kyiv has asserted that it managed to seize authority over a total of 82 territories in Russia covering an area measuring approximately 1,150 square kilometers (equivalent to roughly 440 square miles).

According to Ukrainian officials, retaining Russian territory is not their intention. A presidential advisor affirmed on Thursday that the Kursk incursion could serve as a leverage for persuading the Russian Federation to participate in equitable negotiation talks.

Moscow has maintained that it is effectively pushing back the Ukrainian offensive and causing significant damage to Kyiv’s troops.

According to the Ministry of Defence in Russia, as reported by TASS on Saturday, 10 HIMARS rockets and 35 Ukrainian drones were destroyed by Russian forces. Furthermore, within a span of 24 hours they claimed to have eliminated approximately 420 “enemy servicemen”.

Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow for Al Jazeera, pointed out that there are conflicting reports coming from both sides.

Jabbari acknowledged that verifying the situation on site is a challenging task, stating “We are receiving conflicting information from both Ukrainian sources and the Russian Defense Ministry’s counter-narrative.”