Moscow is struggling to respond to Kiev's counteroffensive in western Kursk Oblast, believes the American Ministry of Defense, quoted by DPA and BTA.
Although there are signs that Russia is moving a “small number of forces” in that region, the Pentagon believes that “Russia is really struggling to respond, and some Ukrainian progress continues to be seen,” said Department spokesman Pat Ryder. He noted that Ukraine “has certainly demonstrated creativity and skill on the battlefield”.
With the counteroffensive, which began about two weeks ago, Ukraine for the first time transferred the war to the territory of its adversary. Russia continues to occupy large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.
When asked whether Washington publicly supports the Ukrainian offensive, Ryder did not answer directly, but referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The spokesperson indicated that Zelensky stated that the goal was to create a buffer zone.
Talks with Kiev continue to understand more about the exact goals of the offensive, DPA notes.
Russian sources say Ukrainian forces have destroyed or damaged all three bridges over the Seym River in western Russia, the Associated Press reported, citing statements by a Russian military investigator posted on the Telegram channel of Russian anchor Vladimir Solovyov and pro-war Russian military bloggers Vladimir Romanov and Yuri Podoliaka.
Kiev's invasion of Russia's Kursk region changed the trajectory of the war and boosted the morale of Ukraine's war-weary population, although the final outcome of the invasion - the first attack on Russia since World War II - is still unpredictable.
Even as Ukraine hails its success on Russian territory, Russian pressure in eastern Ukraine is about to capture another key center - the city of Pokrovsk, AP notes. Ukraine's attacks on the three bridges over the Seym River in Kursk could potentially trap Russian forces between the river, the Ukrainian offensive and the Ukrainian border. They already appear to be delaying the Russian response to the Kursk Oblast offensive that Ukraine launched on August 6.