Ukraine’s Strategic Move to Isolate Russian Territory in Kursk

Ukraine is making a concerted effort to isolate 800 square kilometers of Russian territory in Kursk, aiming to prevent Moscow’s forces from supplying the area.

Bridge-building across rivers is a complex and challenging task in military operations. The Ukrainians are well-versed in these challenges, having faced difficulties crossing the Dnipro River near Kherson.

Recently, the Russians have encountered similar obstacles in building pontoon bridges across the Seim River in Kursk. Ukrainian forces have destroyed three fixed bridges, blocking Russian supply lines, and have also used UAVs to destroy these pontoon bridges.

The challenge for Russia is compounded by the fact that building a bridge across a river requires specialized engineering units. Rivers are natural obstacles with strong currents, deep water, and unstable banks, making it difficult to construct a bridge that can support military vehicles.

Once built, the bridge becomes a target of attack, and without proper coordination, vehicles crossing the bridge are vulnerable to attack. Highly trained Russian military units can erect temporary pontoon bridges in just a few hours, but the emergence of UAVs is making it difficult for Russia to build pontoon bridges.

UAVs have given Ukraine new capabilities that traditional firepower lacks. Drone strikes are more precise than artillery in some ways, as they can hover and wait for the command to dive. Ukrainian forces do not need to be close to the bridge, reducing the risk of being targeted by Russian fire.

Drones can also maintain constant surveillance over a river, quickly determining when a bridge-building operation is underway. The most common defense against Ukrainian attacks uses obscurants, such as smoke screens. However, drones are now equipped with advanced sensors that can see through these obscurations.

Infrared cameras can penetrate smoke and fog, helping to detect a bridge using temperature sensors. Additionally, the new sensors use radio frequency sensors to track military vehicle radio signals, allowing the drones to pinpoint the location of the bridging unit as it approaches the river.

Western experts predict that the Ukrainian army’s determination to isolate the territory on the left side of the Seym River is a strong signal that they may soon launch a ground attack on the very area they have just tried to cut off supplies.