London: Russia has completed makeshift bridge over Ukraine's Dnipro

Russia has completed a floating makeshift bridge across Ukraine's Dnipro river to supply its troops, according to the British Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The bridge serves as a replacement for the neighbouring destroyed Antonivsky Bridge, the ministry's daily intelligence update said on Saturday.

The river crossing is central to supplying Russian troops in the occupied southern Ukrainian city of Kherson.

"Although the use of heavy barge bridges was almost certainly included in Soviet-era planning for operations in Europe, it is likely this is the first time the Russian military have needed to utilise this type of bridge for decades," the update posted on Twitter said.

"Using civilian barges likely provides Russia additional material and logistics benefits, having lost significant quantities of military bridging equipment and engineering personnel during its invasion.

"If the barge bridge sustains damage, it is almost certain Russia will seek to repair or replace damaged sections quickly, as their forces and crossing points over the Dnipro river come under increasing pressure in Kherson."

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February, the British Ministry of Defence has been publishing daily updates on the course of the war, citing intelligence information. This is the British government's way of both countering the Russian narrative and keeping allies informed. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign.