Russian forces destroy pontoon bridge over Siversky Donets River, Russian Defence Ministry claims. Experts earlier reported huge losses among Russian troops in this area

Russian forces have destroyed a pontoon bridge over Siversky Donets River in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, the Russian Defence Ministry stated. The ministry published a video of the alleged operation.

“The pontoon bridge was fully destroyed by artillery fire and drowned. The enemy’s armoured vehicles and their crew who managed to cross the river on the pontoon were defeated in combat by Russian artillery fire and the crew of armoured personnel carriers. Several armoured vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were seized by the Russian troops,” the Russian ministry stated.

Experts from the US-based Institute for the Study of War earlier reported that the Russian forces had been unable to cross the Siversky Donets River and had “taken devastating losses in their attempts.” Experts suggested that the Russian army might not have enough combat power to encircle Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in Ukraine’s Luhansk region.