Ukrainian officials have claimed that Russian troops can no longer transport heavy weapons and ammunition across a strategic road bridge in the Kherson region after it was repeatedly hit by Ukrainian long-range artillery. Serhii Khlan, adviser to the head of Kherson’s civil-military administration, said the Antonivskyi Bridge, which is about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) wide, “was the main route for the supply of weapons, ammunition and food to the Mykolayiv front. “for the Russian forces. But “the hits on the bridge were accurate,” he said. “The new hits were exactly those spots that were hit before. This made it impossible for any type of transport to cross the bridge. At this time, entry to the bridge is blocked.” Ukrainian officials said the bridge was hit on Tuesday night. Social media video also showed large explosions in a cluster towards one end of the bridge. “Conjecturally, the Russians could build a water crossing. However, the left bank of the Dnipro is almost entirely flood plains and swamps,” Khlan said. The Russian-appointed deputy head of the Kherson region, Kirill Stremousov, said via Telegram that ferry crossings near the bridge were already underway, adding, “just come here to the bridge and you will definitely reach the opposite bank of the Dnipro.”
Videos show the damaged Antonivskyi Bridge after the bombing, in Kherson, Ukraine, on July 27. (Ukrinform/Reuters) On Thursday, the UK Ministry of Defense said that Russia’s 49th Army, which is on the west bank of the Dnipro River, “now appears extremely vulnerable” after Ukrainian long-range artillery hit a total of three bridges. “The city of Kherson, the most politically important population center occupied by Russia, is now effectively cut off from the other occupied territories,” the ministry said. However, the Russians still control large areas to the northeast of the city and may be able to resupply forces on the west bank with bridges and fords across the Dnipro. Khlan also said that “a month ago, the invaders used the railway bridge. They brought whole trains to Kherson and the right bank (of the Dnipro River) of military equipment and weapons. After the ammunition depots located near the railway bridge were destroyed, the occupiers stopped using the railway bridge’. As a result of the damage to the Antonivskyi Bridge, Khlan said that “the detour for urban transport is through the hydroelectric station via Kakhovka; many cars have piled up there.” The bridge at Kakhovka upstream from Kherson is shorter than Antonivskyi. Khlan also referred to reports that a police vehicle in Kherson was attacked with an explosive device on Wednesday, claiming that “the resistance movement in Kherson is gaining momentum. This is the result of their work.” Dmytro Butri, interim head of the military administration of the Kherson region, said the attack on the police car was carried out by a radio-controlled explosive device and killed one police officer. Boutri said attacks against Russian positions in Kherson continued. “Our aircraft made five hits on the enemy. Pairs of attack aircraft and a bomber hit three enemy strongholds,” he said. He also claimed that the Russian occupation authorities had announced a ban on the Ukrainian hryvnia currency. “The so-called ‘police’ of the occupation are roaming the market and warning people who sell cash that they will be punished for issuing hryvnia,” he said.