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Intensifying its offensive on Russian territory, Ukraine has destroyed a second strategic bridge in Russia's Kursk region within a week.
The Ukrainian military released footage of the strike on a bridge over the Seym River in Zvannoe.
Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk, commander of Ukraine's Air Force, posted this statement on the Telegram messaging app.
"Kursk direction. Minus one more bridge! Ukrainian Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision airstrikes, which significantly affects the course of hostilities."
The destruction of this bridge follows another strike earlier in the week near Glushkovo, which targeted a supply route used by the Kremlin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his troops are strengthening positions in Kursk and expanding further into Russia.
"Today, we achieved good and much-needed results in destroying Russian equipment near Toretsk. And all this is more than just defence for Ukraine, it is now our primary task in defensive operations overall - to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions. This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor's territory – our operation in the Kursk region."
Despite these advances, Ukrainian officials maintain they do not seek to occupy Russia but rather push for negotiations.
Russia's government has condemned the incursion as a major provocation and vowed retaliation as Russian military evacuated thousands of residents from the area.
This elderly woman was among the evacuees.
"I left because it was scary. They were shooting, and 'Baba Yaga' was destroying houses. Our houses were on fire, it was almost burned down. The neighbour's house next to mine burned down too. I was right next to it. It was so scary, everyone ran away as fast as they could. I'm not going to Ukraine. I'm just going back home to the Glushkovsky district in the Kursk region. I just want to get back to my home."
The Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations says more than 8,000 residents of Kursk, including more than 2,500 children, are currently staying in temporary accommodation centres.
As Ukraine advances into western Russia, Russian forces have also been making gains in eastern Ukraine, capturing several villages.
Russia has carried out its third ballistic missile attack on Kyiv this month but according to the military administration of the Ukrainian capital, most of the projectiles were shot down on approach.
Meanwhile, concerns are growing again over the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been under Russian control since early 2022.
A recent drone strike near the plant's perimeter has heightened fears, with a statement from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, urging restraint from all sides.
"Yet again we see an escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). I remain extremely concerned and reiterate my call for maximum restraint from all sides and for strict observance of the five concrete principles established for the protection of the plant."
Mr Grossi adds the strike came very close to knocking out all power to the plant and its cooling reactors.
"Earlier today, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia (ISAMZ) team was informed by ZNPP that an explosive carried by a drone detonated just outside of the plant’s protected area. The impact site was close to the essential cooling water sprinkler ponds and about 100 metres from the Dniprovska power line, the only remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) line providing a power supply to ZNPP."
The plant has not produced power in over two years, and all six reactors remain in cold shutdown.
This comes as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, says Ukraine has amassed tens of thousands of soldiers at the border between the two countries.
"There are over 120,000 Ukrainian troops on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, they are keeping them near our border. Seeing their aggressive policy, we have introduced there and placed in certain points - in case of war, they would be defence - our military along the entire border."
He did not say exactly how many Belarusian troops were deployed.
Belarus' professional army has about 48,000 troops and around 12,000 state border troops, according to the 2022 International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance.
