Ukraine says it has destroyed second Russian bridge

André Rhoden-Paul and James Gregory, August 19 - Ukraine says it has destroyed a second strategic bridge in a week as it continues its incursion into Russia's Kursk region.

The Ukrainian military on Sunday released aerial footage of the strike on the bridge - reported to be over the Seym River in Zvannoe.

Hours later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the aims of the military incursion into Kursk included the creation of a "buffer zone" to stop Russian attacks.

Ukraine is nearly two weeks into its biggest attack on Russian territory since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"Minus one more bridge," Ukrainian Air Force commander Lt Gen Mykola Oleschuk posted on social media with footage of the strike.

Gen Oleschuk added: "Ukrainian Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision airstrikes, which significantly affects the course of hostilities."

The video shows a growing large cloud of smoke over the bridge and one of its sections appears to be destroyed. It is not clear when the strike took place.

Earlier this week, Ukraine destroyed another bridge over the river Seym, near the town of Glushkovo.

That bridge was used by the Kremlin to supply its troops.

Earlier, military analysts had identified three bridges in the area used by Russia to supply its forces, and they said two had either been destroyed or seriously damaged, Reuters news agency reported.

Almost two weeks after Ukrainian troops pushed across the border into Russia, it is becoming clear that they plan to stay.

President Zelensky said on Saturday his troops were strengthening positions in Kursk and expanding further in Russia.

On Sunday in an evening address, he said: "Our operation in the Kursk region is still inflicting losses on the Russian army and the Russian state, their defence industry and their economy."

He stated that "this is more than just defence for Ukraine" and said that the aim was to "destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions".

This would include "creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory", he added, in an effort to prevent further Russian attacks into Ukraine.

Mykhaylo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelensky, insisted Ukraine was not interested in occupying Russia but wanted to persuade Russia to enter negotiations.

Moscow has called the incursion a major provocation and vowed to retaliate with a "worthy response".

As Ukraine moves further into western Russian territory, Russian forces are equally making gains in Ukraine's east and have claimed a string of villages in recent weeks.

It comes as the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog warned the nuclear safety situation at the Zaporizhzhia power plant in Russian-occupied Ukraine was deteriorating, following a drone strike near the site's perimeter.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he remained "extremely concerned" and called for "maximum restraint from all sides" to protect the plant.

The agency said the impact of the strike was on a road just outside the facility - close to essential water sprinkler ponds and about 100m from the only remaining high-voltage line.

The plant was seized by Russia's forces early in the war and has come under repeated attacks which both sides have blamed the other for.

Last week, Kyiv and Moscow traded blame after a fire broke out in one of the plant's cooling towers.

The IAEA did not say who carried out Saturday's strike, but its team stationed at Zaporizhzhia said the damage seemed to have been caused by a drone carrying an explosive.

"The team has heard frequent explosions, repetitive heavy machine gun and rifle fire and artillery at various distances from the plant," the agency said in a statement.

The plant has not produced power in more than two years and all six reactors have been in cold shutdown since April.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022 and has been making slow progress recently in seizing more territory in eastern Ukraine.

However, it was shocked when Ukrainian troops penetrated into its Kursk region where they have been consolidating positions for nearly two weeks.

Thousands of Russians have been evacuated from the area.

It is the first time foreign troops have been on Russian soil since World War Two.