Russia takes heavy losses in failed river crossing, Ukraine says
- Images released by Kyiv show destroyed vehicles near a damaged pontoon bridge over the Siversky Donets River
- Britain’s defence ministry said that Russia lost ‘significant armoured manoeuvre elements’ of at least one battalion tactical group in the attack
Russian forces suffered heavy losses in a Ukrainian attack that destroyed a pontoon bridge they were using to try to cross a river in the east, Ukrainian and British officials said in another sign of Moscow’s struggle to salvage a war gone awry.
Ukraine’s airborne command released photos and video of what it said was a damaged Russian pontoon bridge over the Siversky Donets River and several destroyed or damaged Russian military vehicles nearby. The command said its troops “drowned the Russian occupiers”.
Britain’s defence ministry said that Russia lost “significant armoured manoeuvre elements” of at least one battalion tactical group in the attack earlier this week.
“Conducting river crossings in a contested environment is a highly risky manoeuvre and speaks to the pressure the Russian commanders are under to make progress in their operations in eastern Ukraine,” the ministry said in its daily intelligence update.
Meanwhile, with Ukraine pleading for more arms to fend off the invasion, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief announced plans to give Kyiv an additional €500 million (US$520 million) to buy heavy weapons.