Ukraine war latest: Second Russian bridge 'destroyed' in strike - as Kyiv repels air attack (2024)

We brought you reports yesterday that the Ukrainian air force had attacked a second bridge in Russia's Kursk region.

Here is what we know...

The strategic bridge over the Seym River in Russia's Kursk region was blown up to limit the supply capacity of a Russian group opposing the Ukrainian advance, Ukraine's commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.

He posted a video showing a growing cloud from an explosion on a bridge and one of its sections destroyed.

In a message on Telegram he also wrote: "Kursk direction. Minus one more bridge! Ukrainian air force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision airstrikes, which significantly affects the course of hostilities."

The bridge was the second attacked by Ukraine since Friday.

Military analysts have said there were three bridges in the area through which Russia supplies its forces and that two of them have been either destroyed or seriously damaged.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last night the operation in Kursk region aims to create a buffer zone to prevent further attacks by Moscow across the border.

It is the first time Mr Zelensky has clearly stated the aim of the operation, which was launched on 6 August.

Ukraine's air defence units have repelled an overnight air attack by Russia, including on Kyiv, destroying all 11 drones that Moscow launched, targeting Ukraine's territory, Ukraine's air force have said this morning.

The drones were destroyed over the southern Mykolaiv region, Cherkasy, Dnipro and Vinnytsia, in the centre of the country, and Kyiv.

Northeastern Kharkiv, Sumy and Donetsk, in the east, were also targeted.

There have not been any immediate reports of any damage due to the attack or falling drone debris.

Overnight air attacks have been becoming more frequent during the war in the last few months, with both sides sending over drones into each other's territory.

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Before we begin our regular updates and analysis, we've put together an overview of the biggest developments over the last week.

Kursk offensive

Kursk remains the focus of much activity, with the Ukrainian air force attacking two bridges in an effort to hamper Russian supply lines and reinforcements.

Footage showed explosions in two locations on the Seym river, at Zvannoe and Glushkovo.

Ukraine's offensive has generated frontline-wide pressures on Russian forces, the Institute for the Study of War said.

Vladimir Putin is almost certain to attempt to retake the Russian territory, which will require more manpower and equipment from elsewhere in the theatre, according to the US-based thinktank.

Long-term, Putin will be forced to make a decision about committing resources to Russia's long international border with Ukraine, imposing "constraints" on theatre-wide planning that "Russia previously did not face".

One hurdle for Ukraine is permission to use Western weapons. The US has been hesitant, even holding up a UK request to permit British Storm Shadow missiles to be fired in Russia, the Times reported.

But British Challenger 2 tanks were being deployed by Ukraine inside Russia, Sky News understands.

North Korea weighed in on the incursion over the weekend, saying it stood with Russia and blaming the attacks on the US and the West.

What's behind the incursion?

Kyiv officials have put forward a number of reasons for the move, among them:

• Putting Ukraine in a better position for any eventual negotiations that involve land swaps;
• Destabilising Russian elites and Vladimir Putin's position;
• Bringing the war home to the Russian population, forcing them to think about what government they support.

Analysts have also said the offensive would ease pressure on other areas of the frontline, as Russia relocates troops to defend Kursk.

Russian response?

It was "astonishing" that there was no significant Russian response last week, ex-UN chief Mark Malloch Brown said.

He said it is likely Russia will soon launch a major deployment of troops to push back Ukrainian forces - but the invasion has revealed the "cumbersomeness" of Russia's "top-down" military.

By the time that move comes, Ukrainian forces "may have had the opportunity to dig themselves in to a point that it becomes a permanent feature of an otherwise barely moving frontline", he said.

Eastern front assault

One of the areas Ukraine had hoped to distract Moscow from with its Kursk attack was the strategic hub of Pokrovsk.

Russian troops have been inching towards the Donetsk city for months, and there appeared to be no let-up last week, with heavy fighting 10km from its outskirts.

"If the [Kursk] objective was to divert the Russian effort fromthe Donbas, it's failed so far," said Yohann Michel, a Frenchmilitary expert and research fellow at the IESD Institute inLyon, France.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was "not for a second" forgettingabout the east and promised fresh weapons deliveries to strengthen positions.

Nuclear threat

The last week brought nuclear warnings - some with evidence and some without.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said safety at Ukraine's occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Last Monday, Ukraine and Russia traded blame for a fire that broke out in a cooling tower at the facility.

On Saturday, a drone dropped an explosive on a nearby road. An image posted by the Russian management of the plant showed a dent in the tarmac the size of a pothole.

A visit by an IAEA team found no damage to nuclear equipment.

Separately, Moscow accused Ukraine - without providing any evidence - of gearing up to attack Kursk nuclear power plant and of developing a "dirty bomb"; an explosive used to scatter radioactive waste.

Kyiv dismissed the "dangerous lies" as "insane Russian propaganda" and reaffirmed its commitment to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Vladimir Putin made similar allegations shortly before launching the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Then, in March the same year, Moscow alleged Ukraine was going to use a dirty bomb. Neither claims were borne out.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer maintains "unwavering" support for Ukraine, and that position has not changed since incursion into Russia, a government spokesperson has said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the UK's support for their war effort as having "slowed down" as he called for a removal of restrictions on donated weapons being used inside Russian territory.

Ukrainan forces have been engaged in a military incursion into Russia's Kursk region since 6 August, the aim of which Mr Zelenskyy revealed is to create a buffer zone to prevent further attacks by Moscow across the border.

Writing on X on Sunday, Mr Zelenskyy said: "We are doing everything possible to provide our warriors with the necessary weapons and reinforcements.

"It is crucial that our partners remove barriers that hinder us from weakening Russian positions in the way this war demands."

He added: "Throughout this war, we've seen the UK demonstrate true leadership - in arms, politics, and support for Ukrainian society. This has saved thousands of lives, reflecting the strength of the UK.

"Unfortunately, the situation has slowed down recently. We will discuss how to fix this because long-range capabilities are vital for us. The whole world sees how effective Ukrainians are - how our entire nation defends its independence."

A UK government spokesperson said Mr Starmer "has been clear that UK's support for Ukraine is unwavering".

They said: "That is why he committed to £3bn a year of support to Ukraine, for as long as it takes, within his first week in office.

"Further lethal aid was also accelerated to Kyiv within hours of this government being elected, bolstering the £12bn of UK support already pledged, and ensuring the vital military equipment reaches Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline."

The new package of lethal aid for Ukraine includes a quarter of a million of 50-calibre ammunition, 90 anti-armour Brimstone missiles, 50 small military boats, 40 de-mining vehicles, and 10 AS-90 artillery guns.

Ukrainian forces have also received 61 bulldozers and support for previously gifted AS-90s, from the UK.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the operation in Kursk aims to create a buffer zone.

It's the first time the Ukrainian president has clearly stated the aim of the incursion into Russian territory, which was launched on 6 August.

He has previously said the operation is to protect communities in the bordering Sumy region from constant shelling.

"It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall - to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions," he has just said in his nightly address.

"This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor's territory - our operation in the Kursk region."

During the address he also repeated calls to Kyiv's allies to speed up deliveries of military aid - singling out the UK, as well as the US and France.

Ukraine is "still inflicting losses" on Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said in his nightly address.

He claimed Ukraine's operation in Russia's Kursk region is damaging "the Russian army, state, their defence industy and their economy".

Mr Zelenskyyposted a video showing a growing cloud from a bridge explosion, with one of its sections destroyed.

He also thanked his soldiers stationed over the Russian border and asked his Ukraine's allies to speed up the delivery of promised military aid.

"Regarding deliveries from our partners - need acceleration, we ask very much. War has no holidays," he warned.

Yesterday, the German government was forced to deny rumours it is planning to halve its military aid to Ukraine in 2025.

A crater was left in the Kyiv region in the aftermath of a Russian missile attack.

Images show locals looking on at the destruction left by the strike, in a seemingly rural area.

Parts of the missile remained scattered across the ground.

This comes after Russia launched its third ballistic missile attack on Kyivthis morning (see 07:35 post).

Preliminary data showed all missiles were destroyed on their approach to the city, the military administration of the Ukrainian capital said.

Two people have been killed in a Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk, according to the Russian-installed mayor.

A man and a woman were said to have been killed on Sunday, local mayor Alexei Kulemzin said.

Sky News has not been able to independently verify his claim.

It would continue Kyiv's push into Russian territory and their newfound aggression in the face of Russia's invasion.

This comes after, earlier in the day, Russian forces were said to have taken control of the village of Svyrydonivka, in the same region, according to TASS state news agency.

Chechnya President Ramzan Kadyrov has invited Elon Musk to Russia after being filmed behind the wheel of one of Tesla's Cybertrucks mounted with a machine gun.

Kadyrov, sanctioned by the US after being linked to numerous human rights violations, said he "literally fell in love" with the car and would donate it to Russian forces fighting in the invasion of Ukraine.

The president, who rules over Chechnya, a republic within the Russian Federation, claimed he received the truck from Musk, although this was not independently confirmed.

Messages left with Tesla by AP seeking comment were not immediately returned.

"It's not for nothing that they call this a cyberbeast. I'm sure that this beast will bring plenty of benefits to our troops."

Inviting Musk to Chechnya, Kadyrov said: "I don't think the Russian foreign ministry would mind such a trip.

"And, of course, we're waiting for your new developments that will help us finish our special military operation."

Russian officials often refer to its invasion as a "special military operation".

More than 3,000 people were evacuated in 24 hours between Friday and Saturday from areas in Russia's Kursk region, according to local authorities.

Russia says the Ukrainian incursion has led to the evacuation of more than 120,000 civilians in total.

More than 10,000 Kursk residents were staying at temporary accommodation centres across the country, the Russian Emergency Ministry said.

Kyiv's offensive came as a shock to Yan Furtsev, an activist and member of the local opposition party Yabloko.

"No one expected that this kind of conflict was even possible in the Kursk region.

"That is why there is such confusion and panic, because citizens are arriving [from frontline areas] and they're scared, very scared."