A Russian investigator confirmed that Ukraine on Sunday had struck and damaged a third bridge over the River Seym in Russia’s Kursk region.
A video statement from a representative of Russia’s Investigative Committee was posted on Russian state TV anchor Vladimir Solovyov’s Telegram channel.
Ukraine’s commander said on Sunday that the Ukrainian air force had destroyed another strategic bridge over the Seym River in Russia’s Kursk region, limiting the supply capacity of a Russian group opposing the Ukrainian advance.
It comes as Russia launched its third ballistic missile on Kyiv this month in retaliation for Ukraine’s shock incursion, with preliminary data showing that all the air weapons were destroyed on their approach to the city.
Western military analysts say there were three bridges in the area of the Ukrainian army’s offensive through which Russia supplies its forces – and two of them have been either destroyed or seriously damaged.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air defence units repelled Russia’s overnight air attacks, including on Kyiv, destroying all 11 drones that Moscow launched targeting Ukraine’s territory. The drones were downed over the Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy and Donetsk regions, the Ukraine’s air force said this morning.
Key Points
- Third bridge in Kursk destroyed - preliminary reports
- Ukraine destroys second bridge in Kursk
- Satellite imagery shows Russian pontoon bridge constructed in Kursk
- Kursk incursion is ‘buffer zone’ on Russian soil, says Zelensky
- Zelensky ‘directly’ asks the US, the UK and France for help
Zelensky calls out Putin’s ‘red line' bluff via Kursk attack
03:57
Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s assault on Russia’s Kursk region shows Kremlin threats of retaliation were a bluff, Volodymyr Zelensky said last night as he urged Kyiv’s allies to loosen curbs on using foreign-supplied weapons.
Mr Zelensky singled out allies who have supplied long-range weapons but told Kyiv they cannot use them deep inside Russia for fear of crossing “red lines” set out by Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to a gathering of Ukrainian diplomats, he said: “We are witnessing a significant ideological shift – the naive, illusory concept of so-called red lines regarding Russia, which dominated the assessment of the war by some partners, has crumbled apart these days.”
Criticising the limitations set by Ukraine’s allies, Zelensky said his troops could not use the weapons at their disposal to hit some Russian military targets. He urged allies to be bolder in their decisions about how to help Kyiv in the war.
“The world sees that everything in this war depends only on courage – our courage, the courage of our partners. On brave decisions for Ukraine, on courage in supporting Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said.
The latest assessment by Kyiv says Ukrainian forces now control more than 1,250 sq km (483 square miles) and 92 settlements in Kursk region, while Russia said Ukraine had struck a third bridge in the region, complicating Russian efforts to repel the Ukrainian attack.
Ukraine’s next president? Vitali Klitschko film explores boxer’s journey into politics and war
03:00
Tom Watling
Revealed: Ukraine’s plan to force Putin to retreat in shame
02:00
Tom Watling
Britain keeps poking the Russian bear – don’t be surprised if it lashes out
01:00
Tom Watling
Disarray in Putin’s military command exposed by Ukraine’s attack in Russia, says Zelensky’s chief adviser
Tuesday 20 August 2024 00:00
Tom Watling
Kent animal sanctuary rescues lion with ‘psychological issues’ from Ukraine
Monday 19 August 2024 23:00
Tom Watling
Images from UK military’s first satellite will be shared with allies
Monday 19 August 2024 22:00
Tom Watling
Mapped: Ukraine’s incursion into the Russian Kursk region explained
Monday 19 August 2024 21:00
Tom Watling
Another European country to reintroduce compulsory military draft as tensions soar
Monday 19 August 2024 20:00
Tom Watling
Warlord invites Elon Musk to Russia after being filmed driving machine-gun mounted Cybertruck
Monday 19 August 2024 19:00
Tom Watling
India’s Modi likely to meet Zelensky in Ukraine after Russia trip
Monday 19 August 2024 18:00
Tom Watling
Zelensky has humiliated Putin, but what good can his ‘buffer zone’ do?
Monday 19 August 2024 17:00
Tom Watling
Lithuania begins construction of base for German troops near Russian border
Monday 19 August 2024 16:00
Tom Watling
Lithuania on Monday began construction of a military base, which will accommodate up to 4,000 combat-ready German troops once completed by the end of 2027, in the first permanent foreign deployment for the German military since World War Two.
Germany committed to deploy troops in the Nato and European Union member, which borders Russia, last year. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius compared the decision to the posting of allied forces in West Germany during the Cold War to defend Western Europe in case of a Soviet attack.
Lithuanian chief of defence Raimundas Vaiksnoras estimated the country would spend more than 1 billion euros over the next three years to develop the base, in one of the largest construction projects in its history.
It’s “a huge investment” for a nation of 2.9 million with an economy a tenth the size of Germany’s, Vaiksnoras said on the sidelines of a launch ceremony.
“The brigade will work as reassurance to our population and as deterrence, to push the Russians out,” he added.
Satellite imagery shows Russian pontoon bridge in Kursk
Monday 19 August 2024 15:37
Tom Watling
Earlier, we reported that Russia appears to have begun constructing a pontoon bridge in Kursk over the Seym River after reports that Ukraine were striking bridges in the area.
Below, satellite imagery appears to show that pontoon bridge.
A high-resolution @planet satellite image taken on Aug. 17th shows the pontoon bridge across the Seym River, constructed by the Russians between Aug. 15 and Aug. 16, east of Glushkovo village in Kursk Oblast (51.35109, 34.67668), after Ukraine began targeting bridges in the area. https://t.co/4q7U5Cy6du pic.twitter.com/k6OxC5JKoM
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) August 19, 2024
Modi to visit Ukraine later this week
Monday 19 August 2024 15:00
Tom Watling
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Ukraine on 23 August, at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelensky, the foreign ministry has announced.
The pair will discuss their countries' relations and multilateral cooperation during Modi's visit to Kyiv, the Ukrainian presidential office said on Monday.
"This is the first visit of the head of the Indian government to our country in the history of bilateral relations," the office said in a statement on Telegram.
Ukraine strikes third bridge in Kursk as part of cross-border attack into Russia
Monday 19 August 2024 14:30
Tom Watling
Why is Ukraine destroying bridges in Russia’s Kursk?
Monday 19 August 2024 14:00
Tom Watling
UK support for Ukraine remains unwavering, says PM Starmer's spokesperson
Monday 19 August 2024 13:32
Tom Watling
Britain’s support for Ukraine remains unwavering, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday, in response to comments by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky who said London’s support was weakening.
Mr Zelensky said at the weekend that although Britain’s leadership had saved thousands of lives since the start of the war with Russia, support had recently “slowed down”.
“The prime minister remains absolutely resolute in his support for Ukraine,” the spokesperson said. “In terms of our support, again, it is unwavering.”
The spokesperson added there was no change to the government’s position on the use of British supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles by Ukraine.
Disarray in Putin’s military command exposed by Ukraine’s attack in Russia, says Zelensky’s chief adviser
Monday 19 August 2024 13:00
Tom Watling
Kyiv expects Russia to build up troops in Ukraine
Monday 19 August 2024 12:30
Tom Watling
Ukraine expects Russia to build up its forces in Ukraine to 800,000 by the year’s end, Forbes Ukraine reported on Monday citing Deputy Defence Minister Ivan Havryliuk.
Currently, there are around 600,000 Russian troops in occupied territories of Ukraine, the media report said referring to Havryliuk’s statement.
Warlord invites Musk to Russia after machine-gun Cybertruck video
Monday 19 August 2024 12:10
Salma Ouaguira
Chechnya President Ramzan Kadyrov has invited Elon Musk to Russia after sharing a video of him behind the wheel of one of the company’s Cybertrucks mounted with a machine gun.
In a clip posted on Kadyrov’s Telegram channel, the self-styled strongman was seen taking the stainless steel-clad Cybertruck for a leisurely drive before standing astride the machine gun mounted in the truck bed, draped with belts of ammunition.
Zelensky reports on intense frontline battles and strategic advances in Kursk
Monday 19 August 2024 11:55
Salma Ouaguira
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has provided an update on the ongoing military efforts, highlighting the intense combat in key areas and progress in operations against Russian forces.
A statement from the head of the Syrskyi Committee said: “Heavy fighting continues in the Pokrovsky direction, the defense of Toretsk.”
Zelensky also expressed gratitude for the successes in targeting and destroying Russian positions.
The president emphasised that Ukraine is actively working to secure additional weapons and support from international partners to strengthen its actions on the front.
The statement added: “The chief of staff also reported on the new details of the operation in the Kursk region. We are achieving our goals. In the morning there is another replenishment of the exchange fund for our state.
“We also discussed some aspects of our missile program with the Central Committee.
“Thank you to everyone who works for Ukraine in this very field - in the development and production of missiles.”
Zelensky declares Ukraine is ‘achieving its goals’
Monday 19 August 2024 11:41
Salma Ouaguira
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he was briefed by his top commander on new details of the operation in Russia’s west Kursk region.
“We are achieving our goals. In the morning, there is another replenishment of the exchange fund for our state,” he said on Telegram, referring to Russian soldiers taken prisoner by Ukraine.
Pictured: Satellite shows destroyed Kursk bridge in Seym River
Monday 19 August 2024 11:15
Salma Ouaguira
Putin visits Azerbaijan for talks on international and regional issues amid Ukraine conflict
Monday 19 August 2024 11:00
Salma Ouaguira
Vladimir Putin has made his first visit to Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev.
The Russian president’s two-day visit, which began yesterday, will focus on “international and regional problems”, according to the Kremlin.
His trip comes at a time when Russian forces are facing a surprise Ukrainian attack in the Kursk region.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has described the operation as an effort to create a “buffer zone” to protect Ukraine from further Russian aggression.
The meeting follows claims indicating that the European Union and Ukraine have approached Azerbaijan to facilitate discussions with Russia over a gas transit deal.
While the EU rediced its reliance on Russian gas, other countries including Austria continue to depende on gas delivered through a pipeline that crosses Ukraine.
Watch: Ukrainian troops strike second bridge in Russia’s Kursk
Monday 19 August 2024 10:45
Salma Ouaguira
Another European country to reintroduce compulsory military draft as tensions soar
Monday 19 August 2024 10:30
Salma Ouaguira
Another European country will reintroduce a two-month compulsory military service.
The service will be starting January 1 next year, the country’s Defense Minister Ivan Anusic announced late last week.
The move comes amid heightened tensions in Europe following the Russian aggression against Ukraine as well as an apparent arms race and military buildup in the Balkans which went through a bloody war in the 1990s.
Read the full story below:
Elon Musk denies allegations of donating Tesla to Chechen warlord
Monday 19 August 2024 10:15
Salma Ouaguira
Billionaire X boss Elon Musk has denied allegations that he gifted a Tesla Cybertruck to Russian general and Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov.
The claim surfaced after Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko shared footage on X, allegedly showing Kadyrov receiving the vehicle.
In the video, Kadyrov allegedly stated that he would send the Cybertruck, which appeared to have a machine gun mounted on it, to the Russian frontline.
According to Gerashchenko, Kadyrov thanked Musk for the vehicle and invited him to visit Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, where he would be welcomed “as the most dear guest”.
He also suggested that Musk’s new developments could aid the completion of Russia’s “special military operation”.
Musk responded on the social media platform X categorically denying the claim.
Kadyrov said he received a Tesla Cybertrack from Elon Musk. He promised to send it to the "special military operation" zone and attached a machine gun to it.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 17, 2024
"Elon, thank you! Come to Grozny, I will receive you as the most dear guest! I do not think that our Russian MFA will be… pic.twitter.com/m72fg2G2PU
Russia confirms third Kursk bridge hit by Kyiv over the River Seym
Monday 19 August 2024 10:13
Salma Ouaguira
A Russian investigator confirmed that Ukraine on Sunday had struck and damaged a third bridge over the River Seym in Russia’s Kursk region.
A video statement from a representative of Russia’s Investigative Committee was posted on Russian state TV anchor Vladimir Solovyov’s Telegram channel.
Ukraine’s commander said on Sunday that the Ukrainian air force had destroyed another strategic bridge over the Seym River in Russia’s Kursk region, limiting the supply capacity of a Russian group opposing the Ukrainian advance.
Images from UK military’s first satellite will be shared with allies
Monday 19 August 2024 09:50
Salma Ouaguira
Explosion at Russian fuel plant injures three
Monday 19 August 2024 09:38
Salma Ouaguira
An explosion at the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in Russia’s Bashkiria region has injured three people, according to local authorities.
The blast ignited a fire that tore through a fuel pipeline at the facility, located 1,500 km (930 miles) east of Moscow.
Emergency services have since brought the blaze under control, with images emerging of firefighters battling the flames.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear at this time.
Despite the incident, production at the plant, which manufactures rubber and high-octane additives for fuel and jet fuel, is reportedly continuing, according to the Interfax news agency.
Update: Ukraine’s incursion into Russia mapped
Monday 19 August 2024 09:29
Tom Watling
First Ukrainians to enter Russia’s Sudzha in Kursk speak out
Monday 19 August 2024 09:20
Tom Watling
Some of the first Ukrainians to enter the town of Sudzha in the Russian region of Kursk have spoken out.
You can see a brief interview with the soldiers from the 33rd Assault Battalion below.
Fighters of the 33rd Assault Battalion, mortar company, who were one of the first to enter Sudzha. pic.twitter.com/QLUlL5bNy1
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 19, 2024
Ukrainian soldiers work along the Donetsk front - picture
Monday 19 August 2024 09:13
Tom Watling
Here are some of the latest equipment losses in the conflict
Monday 19 August 2024 09:05
Tom Watling
Below are some of the latest equipment losses identified by war tracker Andrew Perpetua across the frontline in Ukraine and in the Russian region of Kursk.
A little over 60 per cent of the materiel identified from footage posted online was Russia.
Here are losses I could identify for yesterday. pic.twitter.com/GXR01t565o
— Andrew Perpetua (@AndrewPerpetua) August 19, 2024
Animal sanctuary rescues lion with ‘psychological issues’ from Ukraine
Monday 19 August 2024 08:55
Tom Watling
Russian oil depot on fire - footage
Monday 19 August 2024 08:47
Tom Watling
Footage has been posted online showing a Russian oil depot in southwest Russia on fire, reportedly after Ukrainian drone strikes.
The oil depot, located in Proletarsk, Rostov region, is around 140 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Russian oil depot in Proletarsk, Rostov region, was targeted by drones tonight. 360km from the frontline. pic.twitter.com/UZyRIYaWAK
— Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) August 18, 2024
We have the latest photos from the frontline
Monday 19 August 2024 08:42
Tom Watling
Below we have some of the latest photos from the frontline in Ukraine.
British tanks used to drive back Putin’s forces during Ukraine’s attack in Russia
Monday 19 August 2024 08:33
Tom Watling
Photo shows Ukraine bombing bridge in Russia’s Kursk region
Monday 19 August 2024 08:29
Tom Watling
Below we are republishing a screenshot of a video posted by Ukraine’s air force commander Mykola Oleschuk showing the destruction of a second Russia bridge in Kursk over the weekend.
The strike, the second that week, was intended to disrupt Russian military logistics in the region as Ukraine continued pushing as part of its audacious incursion.
There are preliminary reports that a third bridge has also now been destroyed.
Russian court upholds sentence of jailed US soldier Gordon Black
Monday 19 August 2024 08:19
Tom Watling
A Russian court rejected an appeal of a US soldier who was sentenced in June to nearly four years in a penal colony after being found guilty of stealing $113 (£87) from his girlfriend and making threats to kill her, the court has said.
Gordon Black, a 34-year-old US staff sergeant, was detained on 2 May in Russia’s far eastern city of Vladivostok after an argument with his girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, whom he had met while in South Korea.
He pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill Vashchuk but admitted he was partially guilty of taking the money, though out of necessity.
A panel of judges in the Primorsky Krai Court considered Black’s appeal of the verdict from a Vladivostok district court but left it unchanged, the court said in statement in a social media post.
Black’s defence argued in its appeal that the original verdict was illegal and unfair, and asked for a new trial, Russia’s RIA state news agency reported earlier.
According to Black’s defence lawyer, the verdict did not rely on case materials, ignored evidence confirming Black’s innocence, and incorrectly interpreted his actions towards the victim, RIA reported.
Black is among a a number of Americans held in Russia on a variety of charges.
Musk denies sending cybertruck to Chechen warlord
Monday 19 August 2024 08:15
Tom Watling
Elon Musk has denied reports that he sent a Tesla cybertruck to Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov after the leader posted photos of one of the vehicles mounted with a machine gun.
“Are you seriously so r*****ed that you think I donated a cybertruck to a Russian general,” the Tesla owner wrote on X, formerly Twitter, which he also owns.
Kadyrov is the leader of Chechnya, a republic of Russia. His rule is propped up by Vladimir Putin.
Elon Musk has publicly refuted Ramzan Kadyrov's claim that he gifted him a cybetruck, calling such claims "retarded" https://t.co/eNc3V4Zm1a pic.twitter.com/FTRt0coYUK
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 19, 2024
Zelensky: Russia is blackmailing the world with the threat of a catastrophe
Monday 19 August 2024 08:09
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of trying to “blackmail the world with the threat of a catastrophe” as he releases an update on the nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, which is currently controlled by Russian forces.
“Only the return of the plant to Ukrainian control will ensure full compliance with all safety standards and normalise the situation around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
For more than two years, Russian occupiers have been controlling the largest nuclear power plant in Europe—the Zaporizhzhia NPP. And invariably, the Russian presence poses a fundamental threat to the radiation safety of our country, all of Europe, and the world.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2024
Russia is… pic.twitter.com/dN4Zyl33Xj
Civilians take refuge in Russia after Kursk incursion
Monday 19 August 2024 08:04
Tom Watling
Russia bans George Clooney foundation as ‘undesirable’
Monday 19 August 2024 07:56
Tom Watling
Russia has declared an organisation set up by Hollywood actor George Clooney, which is aimed at providing free legal support to victims of human rights abuses, as an “undesirable” organisation.
Russia’s prosecutor general’s office said on Monday that the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) was “carrying out work aimed at discrediting Russia on a Hollywood scale”.
“It actively supports pseudo-patriots who have left the country, members of banned extremist associations, and terrorist organisations,” the prosecutor said, without providing evidence.
The CFJ website describes itself as “fighting systemic injustice against vulnerable communities: journalists, women and girls, democracy defenders, LGBTQ+ persons, and minorities”
Ukraine to return to power cuts amid hot weather and a lack of generation
Monday 19 August 2024 07:50
Tom Watling
Ukraine will cut power for some consumers again on Monday due to a power generation shortage after Russian attacks on its energy system and increased consumption due to hot weather, the Ukrainian power grid operator and the energy ministry said.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine‘s energy sector have intensified since the spring, resulting in blackouts in many regions and forcing Kyiv to start large-scale electricity imports from the European Union.
The restrictions will be in effect from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Kyiv time, Ukrenergo said.
Ukraine significantly limited energy supplies in July due to the repair of several key nuclear power units and record high temperatures.
The restrictions almost disappeared in August after reactors were brought back on line and temperatures dropped.
Ukrainian officials have said that the country lost almost half of its power production capacity because of the attacks.
Third bridge in Kursk destroyed - preliminary reports
Monday 19 August 2024 07:46
Tom Watling
Preliminary reports have suggested that a third bridge in the Russian Kursk region has been destroyed in a further blow to the Moscow’s hopes of defending the area against a Ukrainian incursion.
Russian military blogger Vladimir Romanov, believed to be posted in the Kursk region, wrote on the Telegram messenger app this morning: “The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed the third bridge across the Seim River.”
Earlier, we reported that Ukraine’s air force commander acknowledged that a second bridge had been destroyed to “deprive the enemy of its logistical capabilities”.
This third bridge has been reportedly destroyed near the village of Karyzh in the Glushkovsky district, where the first bridge was hit last Friday.
The Independent cannot verify this information. The Ukrainian Air Force declined to comment when approached.
❗️ Russian Z-channels report that Ukraine has destroyed the third and last bridge over the Seim River in Kursk Region
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 19, 2024
The bridge was destroyed near the village of Karyzh in the Glushkovsky district. On August 16, Ukrainian troops destroyed a bridge in the village of Glushkovo, a… pic.twitter.com/F6SR6AJQPe
Here are some of the latest photos from Ukraine
Monday 19 August 2024 07:38
Tom Watling
Good morning.
Below are some of the latest photos coming out of Ukraine.
India PM Modi to visit Ukraine, foreign ministry says
Monday 19 August 2024 07:30
Arpan Rai
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will visit Ukraine, the Indian foreign ministry said this morning, his first trip to the war-torn country since its conflict with Russia and about a month after he met president Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Details of the trip will be shared later in the day, the foreign ministry said. Indian media have reported that Mr Modi is likely to visit Kyiv this month.
Western capitals have imposed sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but friendly nations such as India and China have continued to trade with it.
India has refrained from directly blaming Russia – for what Moscow calls a special military operation – while urging the neighbours to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
The US has raised concerns over India’s relationship with Russia, especially at a time when Washington has been s