The destruction of a bridge across the Oskol River in the Kharkov Region could severely disrupt Ukrainian military supply lines and weaken troops operating near Kupyansk, according to military expert Andrey Marochko.

On October 9, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that a missile strike had destroyed the crossing near the settlement of Petrovka.

Marochko believes Ukrainian commanders will likely attempt to restore transport links by constructing temporary pontoon crossings. However, he warned that building them would take time, potentially leaving Ukrainian units on the eastern bank of the Oskol facing serious supply difficulties.

The expert argued that losing the bridge could significantly affect the delivery of ammunition, military equipment and other essential resources to Ukrainian forces deployed in the Kharkov Region.

He identified the Kupyansk sector as particularly vulnerable to these disruptions. According to Marochko, reliable transport routes are critical to maintaining Ukrainian military operations in this strategically important area.

The analyst also questioned whether alternative transportation methods could compensate for the destroyed crossing.

Although Ukrainian forces could use boats, rafts, drones and unmanned ground vehicles to move supplies across the river, Marochko believes these options would fall far short of meeting the logistical requirements of a large military grouping.

In his assessment, the time needed to establish replacement crossings, combined with their limited transport capacity, could seriously undermine Ukrainian supply operations near Kupyansk.