Vladimir Putin just announce his step down for the election due to the tragic loss of his first son in a devastating house fire at…

Ukrainian forces have destroyed a third bridge in Russia’s Kursk border region in as many days, blowing up vital supply lines to Vladimir Putin’s forces defending the area against Kyiv’s surprise cross-border assault.

The bridge, located in the village of Karyzh on the River Seym and runs parallel to the Ukrainian border, is said to have been damaged during an attack late on Sunday night. It is also the last bridge on the Russian river after the previous two bridges have already been attacked.

The assault on Russia’s Kursk region shows the Kremlin’s threats of retaliation were a bluff, Volodymyr Zelensky said last night as he urged Kyiv’s allies to loosen curbs on Ukraine’s use of foreign-supplied weapons.

“The operation ‘no one knew about’ proved that there are no red lines of the Kremlin to be wary of,” Mr Zelensky said.

He said Ukraine would not have had to physically invade Kursk if its allies had not imposed their restrictions on using donated arms to hit deep inside Russia.

Two weeks after the incursion began, Ukrainian forces now control more than 1,250 sq km (483 square miles) and 92 settlements in the Kursk region, Kyiv says.