Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv claims devastating strike on Crimea bridge destroyed 50 military vehicles

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv claims devastating strike on Crimea bridge destroyed 50 military vehicles Attack on Crimean bridge comes as Zelensky’s drone chief warns Putin will lose access to Crimea in ‘near future’ - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments The Ukrainian military claims it has successfully destroyed 50 Russian military vehicles in a devastating strike on the Armiansk bridge connecting occupied Crimea to mainland Ukraine. Ukraine’s 1st Separate Assault Regiment Da Vinci said the attack “completely paralysed” a key logistical route for Russian forces, rendering the bridge unusable. Kyiv says the Russian military vehicles hit in the attack were loaded with ammunition and fuel to be used near Zaporizhzhia oblast. Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, has said that Ukraine is capable of fully cutting off Russia’s access to Crimea in the “near future”. Earlier, ambassadors from the UK, France and Germany met at the Russian foreign ministry yesterday amid a Europe-led push for fresh peace talks. The ministry shared a video of the three diplomats arriving at the building in central Moscow to attend a meeting with Sergei Lavrov’s deputy. The foreign minister said on Wednesday Russia was open to hear what Europe had to say. Ukraine says 50 Russian military vehicles destroyed in attack on Crimean bridge The Ukrainian military has claimed it has successfully destroyed 50 military vehicles in a strike on the Russia-occupied Armiansk bridge connecting Crimea to mainland Ukraine. The attack was confirmed by Ukraine’s 1st Separate Assault Regiment Da Vinci which said that “the enemy’s important logistical route is completely paralysed”. It added that the bridge is out of commission now and additional attacks are not needed. Russian military vehicles hit in the attack were loaded with ammunition and fuel to be used near Zaporizhzhia oblast. Ukraine can cut Crimea off from Russia 'in near future', says drone commander Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said the drone attack campaign has reduced the traffic using the Novorossiya highway – a critical Russian military supply route through occupied southern Ukraine to Crimea - by more than two thirds over the past month. Within another month, Ukraine would have total control over the road, said Brovdi, who is best known by his call sign "Madyar", a nod to his ethnic Hungarian roots. Ukraine's escalating drone strikes across Russian-occupied parts of the country have disrupted military logistics and fuel supplies, prompting authorities last month to introduce fuel rationing in Crimea. "We will isolate Crimea in the near future," Brovdi told Reuters in his cramped cubicle inside the bunker, as he sipped black tea and smoked one cigarette after another. Brovdi said striking vehicles on the exposed highway as "as easy as shooting partridges in an open field”. He added that one of his strategic aims was to force Moscow to pull back troops rather than push forward. Russia says it has taken two more east Ukrainian villages Russia has claimed its forces have captured two new settlements – Rozkishne village in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, near the key town of Kostiantynivka, and Okhrimivka, in the neighbouring Kharkiv region. Ukrainian reports gave no indication of either settlement changing hands, but the General Staff of the Ukrainian military said Russian forces had launched attacks around Okhrimivka. A separate Ukrainian account described difficult conditions for Kyiv's forces around Kostiantynivka, which has long withstood Russian assaults. The Russian defence ministry said its forces had taken control of Rozkishne after an intelligence operation and deployment of artillery and drones. Rozkishne is about 30km (18 miles) west of Kostiantynivka, long a target of Moscow's military as part of its drive to advance through eastern Ukraine. The Russian defence ministry said its forces had established control over eastern districts of the town on Thursday amid street fighting. The Ukrainian news outlet Hromadske on Wednesday quoted the commander of Ukraine's 28th Separate Mechanised Brigade, Serhiy Yaryi, as saying the Ukrainian force defending the town was now "semi-encircled" because of Russian advances to the east. In message to Putin, North Korea’s Kim voices full support for Russia North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory message to Russian president Vladimir Putin on Russia’s National Day, voicing full support for Moscow’s domestic and foreign policies, state media KCNA said this morning. Kim said ties between North Korea and Russia were strengthening into an alliance based on a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, and pledged to always be with Russia, KCNA reported. Separately, Russian and North Korean officials visited a monument and cemetery of fallen Soviet Army fighters to mark Russia’s National Day, while Russia's embassy hosted a reception for North Korean senior officials, KCNA said. Ties between the two countries have been deepening amid North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Watch: Senior Russian diplomat meets UK, French and German ambassadors in Moscow Fuel stations in Crimea run dry after fresh night of Ukrainian drone strikes Fuel stations on the Russian-held Crimean peninsula were out of petrol yesterday, Reuters witnesses said, as a Ukrainian campaign against supply lines to the peninsula escalates. A Reuters witness in Sevastopol, the peninsula's largest city, said that there was no fuel at most local petrol stations, with supplies struggling even to keep up with a rationing regime imposed in recent weeks. Another, in the resort town of Yevpatoriya, said that there was a long queue outside the single working petrol station there. Ukraine has been intensifying drone strikes on supply lines to the peninsula, which Russia seized from Kyiv in 2014. Local authorities have imposed fuel rationing regimes, with some foodstuffs also running short. Fuel shortages in Russia have been reported by the media and on social media in around a dozen regions, according to data compiled by Reuters. Besides Russian-held Crimea, only two regions in Siberia have officially confirmed the shortages. Most other regions have said that the situation is under control and some disruptions were caused by panic buying. Moscow has denied there were any problems with fuel supplies. Russia's Togliatti city under drone attack, regional governor says Russia's city of Togliatti, home to the country's biggest carmaker Avtovaz, has come under drone attack, Samara region governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said on Telegram. "Attention! Drone attack regime for Togliatti," he wrote. Togliatti is a city on the Volga River some 800km (500 miles) southeast of Moscow. Watch: Downed Russian drone hits passenger train at Ukrainian station, sparking fire Residents in Crimea forced to ration gas after Ukrainian drone attacks Residents in Crimea forced to ration fuel after Ukrainian drone attacks Merz: Peace for Ukraine must be just and lasting and take German security interests into account German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that he envisioned a “just and lasting peace” for Ukraine that “also takes Germany security interests into account.” It comes as the leader discussed Ukraine’s application for European Union membership. He explained: “Out goal for Ukraine remains a just and lasting peace that also takes German security interests into account.” Ukraine is pressing for membership of the 27-member EU after more than four years of war pitting Kyiv against Moscow. Merz explained that proposed associated European Union membership for Ukraine would mean the country would be able to participate in the EU council meetings and have an EU commissioner without voting rights. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments