Ukraine aims to strike Russian bridges in response to Moscow's counteroffensive in Kursk.

In response to Ukraine's efforts to establish a "buffer zone" against Russia, Ukrainian forces have started attacking crucial Russian transportation routes in the Kursk region, aiming to hinder Moscow's ability to reinforce its troops.

Reports emerged on Monday that Ukraine had struck a third and possibly final usable bridge in Russia's Kursk region, as Kyiv's incursion entered its second week.

The Karyzh village bridge over the Seim River was damaged by Ukrainian forces, according to a Russian Investigative Committee official who made the comments Monday.

The extent of the damage to the bridge could not be verified by Planet Chronicle Digital.

In the Kursk region, two other bridges were damaged or made inoperable, in addition to the one reported earlier in Zvannoye, just over four miles east from Karyzh, and Glushkovo, which is located another five miles east along the Seym River.

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the bridge strikes, but reports suggest that the damage has halted Russia's ability to transport heavy machinery across the river, impeding its efforts to remove Ukrainian troops.

The impact of bridge strikes on Russian plans to relocate troops to the Kursk region is uncertain as Ukrainian forces continue to push forward.

The Kursk operation's main objective is unknown, but some speculate it's to split Russia's military efforts and divert Moscow's troops from the front lines in Ukraine.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, approximately 5,000 Russian troops were deployed to Kursk between August 6th and 13th, primarily from Ukraine's Donetsk region.

Although President Putin is determined to stop the Ukrainian incursion, which Zelenskyy claims was done to make Moscow feel the consequences of its war, Ukrainian troops seem to be continuing their advances in the Russian region.

The Institute for the Study of War stated in a Sunday assessment that Russian redeployments have enabled Russian forces to slow Ukraine's rapid advance in Kursk Oblast and limit the scope of the Ukrainian incursion. However, containment is only the initial and least resource-intensive phase of Russia's response in Kursk Oblast.

"The assessment stated that it is too early to determine when Russian forces will completely halt Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast and regain the battlefield initiative. However, it is likely that any future Russian counteroffensive will necessitate a significant increase in manpower, equipment, and material resources in Kursk Oblast."

According to a source close to Kyiv's operations in Kursk, approximately 6,000 Ukrainian troops are currently present in the Russian region. However, it is believed that Moscow would require around 20,000 soldiers to regain control of its territory.

In a speech to the nation on Sunday, Zelenskyy emphasized that the main objective of defensive operations is to destroy as much of Russia's military capabilities as possible and carry out maximum counterattacks.

He stated that our operation in the Kursk region involves establishing a buffer zone on the aggressor's territory.

Although the war effort in Kursk is ongoing, Ukraine remains concerned about Russian advances in its Donetsk region, particularly near Pokrovsk, where Russian forces are still pushing westward.

According to Serhii Dobriak, a Donetsk administration official, the city is predicted to be consumed by the intense conflicts occurring in Eastern Ukraine in the upcoming two weeks, as stated on Radio Free Europe.

It is reported that Donetsk Gov. Vadym Filashkin will likely issue a mandatory evacuation for the nearly 5,000 children remaining in the city later this week.

In July, Zelenskyy cautioned that Russia was intensifying its efforts in the region following another unsuccessful attempt to capture Kharkiv.

On Monday, images emerged that purportedly depicted several explosions occurring on Russia's Trans-Siberian railway line, which has been utilized to transport weapons to Moscow's ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to East2West.

Since the war began, pro-Ukrainian forces have carried out sabotage efforts on Russian targets, similar to the explosions that occurred.

Ukrainian forces hit an oil depot in Rostov Oblast, which borders Donetsk, as seen in weekend images, indicating their efforts to target key Russian locations that support their cross-border conflict.

It is possible that Zelenskyy, who stated that "Russia must be forced into peace if Putin wants to continue waging war," may use his incursion into Russia as a bargaining chip to end Moscow's deadly war.

On Monday, a Putin aide stated that Moscow was not ready for peace talks "at this time" due to the incursion.