Kyiv [Ukraine], August 30 (ANI): Ukraine destroyed two bridges inside Russian territory using inexpensive drones to target stockpiles of mines and ammunition hidden by Russian forces, CNN reported. According to the Ukrainian military, the bridges—located near the border with Ukraine’s Kharkiv region—were being used by Russia to resupply its troops.
The bridges had been mined by Russian forces because of their strategic importance, giving them the option to blow them up in the event of a sudden Ukrainian advance. It is a common wartime tactic for militaries under pressure to demolish their own infrastructure, including bridges, highways, and key routes, to slow enemy movement. Ukraine employed similar measures in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, destroying bridges leading to Kyiv to hinder the Russian advance and defend the capital.
In this case, Ukrainian forces discovered the Russian stockpiles of mines and turned that knowledge to their advantage, CNN reported. The operation was carried out by Ukraine’s 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, which said its soldiers became suspicious after noticing unusual activity around one of the bridges.
“It became clear that something was going on there. We couldn’t fly a regular reconnaissance drone under the bridge because the signal would disappear, so we flew in with a first-person-view drone equipped with fiber optics,” a brigade representative told CNN.
Drone footage showed the device approaching the bridge and revealing a large pile of anti-tank mines and other munitions. A piece of fabric that appeared to have covered the stash was seen tossed to the side. “We saw the mines, and we struck,” the brigade member said. The recording cuts off as the drone crashes into the explosives, triggering a massive blast. Separate footage filmed from a distance captured the explosion. CNN confirmed the bridge was in Russia’s Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border.
“After that, we decided to check the other bridge. We found it was also mined, and we struck,” the brigade representative explained, adding, “(We) saw an opportunity and took it.”
The destruction of the two bridges—and the unconventional method used—marks a rare success for Kyiv at a time when Ukraine is facing mounting pressure along the frontlines. Russian forces are steadily pushing forward, while President Vladimir Putin continues to delay any ceasefire negotiations.
Meanwhile, Moscow maintains its offensive on Ukrainian cities, launching near-daily airstrikes that have killed civilians and devastated infrastructure across the country. (ANI)
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