Ukrainian forces are using US-made HIMARS missile systems to destroy pontoon bridges and engineering equipment in Russia's Kursk region, the Ukrainian military said, as quoted by "Reuters".
Russian officials said Ukraine has damaged or destroyed at least three bridges over the Seym River since Kiev launched a major offensive in western Russia on August 6, advancing 28-35 kilometers.
"Where they "disappear" the Russian pontoon bridges in the Kursk region? The operators...exactly destroy them," Ukrainian special operations forces said on the Telegram messenger.
The statement said US-made HIMARS missile systems were used. It was the first official statement from Kiev that Western weapons were part of the unprecedented offensive on Russian territory.
Washington has not commented directly on the use of US-made weapons in the Kursk region, while saying that its policy has not changed and that Ukraine is defending itself against Russian attacks.
⚡️🇺🇦M142 HIMARS strikes with GMLRS missiles and ATACMS cluster missiles on 🇷🇺Russian pontoon crossings in the Kursk region pic.twitter.com/8iCv1bsVYS
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) August 21, 2024
While the allies barred Ukraine from carrying out long-range strikes with Western weapons into Russia, they allowed Kiev to use them to hit border areas after Russia's new offensive in the Kharkiv region this spring.
The Kremlin described the use of US-made weapons on its territory as an escalation.
The video released by the special forces shows strikes on several pontoon crossings. At least one of the strikes appears to have been struck with cluster munitions.
The video also shows drone strikes on military trucks and other locations described as an ammunition depot and electronic warfare complex.
"Reuters" was able to verify and confirm at least one pontoon crossing that appears to have been destroyed between August 14 and 17 between the Russian villages of Zvannoe and Glushkovo after two bridges were destroyed or damaged earlier.
The crossing, about 14 kilometers from the border, was gone by August 19, satellite images show.
As Kiev reports a string of battlefield successes since it unexpectedly crossed into Russia's Kursk region on August 6, Russia is advancing on the front lines in eastern Ukraine, two and a half years after its full-scale invasion.
Russia's Defense Ministry said in recent days that its forces had taken control of several towns in the area, including Zhelanoye and Sviridonovka, as well as New York City, about 46 km (29 miles) from Pokrovsk.
p>The Ukrainian army has not directly commented on these claims, but heavy fighting is reported in the areas.
Ukraine's foreign ministry said the advance in the Kursk region had made more gains than Russia had captured since the start of the year.